Recording medium, playback method, and playback device

ABSTRACT

A recording medium includes a video stream of a standard-luminance range and a video stream of high-luminance range, which are used selectively in accordance with a playback environment. The recording medium also includes a subtitle stream of the standard-luminance range and a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range, which are used selectively in accordance with the playback environment. A playlist file includes a management region where playback control information relating to a main stream is stored, and includes an extended region. The management region stores first playback control information specifying playing of the video stream of the high-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the high-luminance range in combination. The extended region stores second playback control information specifying playing of the video stream of the standard-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the standard-luminance range in combination.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/471,032, filed Mar. 28, 2017, which is a continuation ofInternational Patent Application No. PCT/JP2015/005001, filed Oct. 1,2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/065,034, filed Oct. 17, 2014, and priority to JapaneseApplication No. 2015-148672, filed Jul. 28, 2015. The disclosures ofthese documents, including the specifications, drawings, and claims, areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a recording medium in which isrecorded an encoded video stream, a playback method of the video stream,and a playback device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Technology relating to digital versatile discs (DVD) has conventionallybeen disclosed (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Application PublicationNo. 9-282848).

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, the techniques disclosed here feature a recordingmedium in which are recorded a video stream of standard-luminance range,and a video stream of high-luminance range that is a broader luminancerange than the standard-luminance range, which are used selectively inaccordance with a playback environment, a subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range, and a subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, which are used selectively in accordance with the playbackenvironment, and a playlist file storing playback control information ofcontent, the playlist file including a management region where theplayback control information relating to a main stream is stored, and anextended region. The management region stores first playback controlinformation specifying that a video stream of the high-luminance rangeand a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range are to be played incombination. The extended region stores second playback controlinformation specifying that a video stream of the standard-luminancerange and a subtitle stream of the standard-luminance range are to beplayed in combination. According to the above form, further improvementcan be realized.

It should be noted that general or specific embodiments may beimplemented as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computerprogram, a storage medium, or any selective combination thereof.

Additional benefits and advantages of the disclosed embodiments willbecome apparent from the specification and drawings. The benefits and/or

advantages may be individually obtained by the various embodiments andfeatures of the specification and drawings, which need not all beprovided in order to obtain one or more of such benefits and/oradvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an SD-DVD structure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for describing navigation informationembedded in an MPEG stream, which is AV data;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a VOB structure in a DVD;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data hierarchy of a BD-ROM;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a structure of logical data recorded ina BD-ROM;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a basic configuration ofa BD-ROM player that plays BD-ROMs;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram where the configuration of the playerillustrated in FIG. 6 is detailed;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating application space of a BD-ROM;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an MPEG stream(VOB);

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of packs in an MPEGstream;

FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing the relationship between AV data andplayer configuration;

FIG. 12 is a diagram for describing a VOB data continuous supply modelusing a track buffer;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the internal structure of a VOBmanagement information file;

FIG. 14 is a diagram for describing the details of VOBU information;

FIG. 15 is a diagram for describing an address information acquisitionmethod using a time map;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a playlist;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an event handlertable;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of BD.INFO which isoverall BD-ROM information;

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a global eventhandler table;

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a time event;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user event due to auser having operated a menu;

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of a global event;

FIG. 23 is a diagram for describing the functional configuration of aprogram processor;

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a list of system parameters (SPRM);

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example of a program in an eventhandler according to control of a menu screen having two selectionbuttons;

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example of a program in an eventhandler relating to a menu selection user event;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of basic processing forplayback of AV data in a BD-ROM player;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing in a BD-ROMplayer from starting to play a playlist until ending playing of the VOB;

FIGS. 29A and 29B are flowcharts, where FIG. 29A illustrates the flow ofprocessing relating to a time event in a BD-ROM player, and FIG. 29Billustrates the flow of processing relating to a user event in a BD-ROMplayer;

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing subtitle datain a BD-ROM player;

FIGS. 31A and 31B are diagrams describing the arrays of NAL units;

FIG. 32 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 33 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 34 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 35 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 36 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 37 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 38 is a diagram for describing an example of MPEG-2 TS multiplexingof an HDR video stream;

FIG. 39 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a subtitle stream;

FIG. 40 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between parametersused in subtitle display control;

FIGS. 41A through 41C are diagrams for describing management informationand the content thereof;

FIGS. 42A through 42C are diagrams illustrating the data structure of adatabase file;

FIG. 43 is a diagram for describing synchronous playback between an HDRvideo stream and an enhanced video stream thereof;

FIG. 44 is a diagram for describing synchronous playback between an HDRvideo stream and an enhanced video stream thereof;

FIG. 45 is a diagram for describing a decoder model for an HDR videostream;

FIG. 46 is a diagram illustrating a registration method of streams to adatabase file; and

FIG. 47 is a flowchart of playback processing of a player.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Underlying Knowledge Forming Basis of the PresentDisclosure

However, further improvement was needed with the aforementioned JapaneseUnexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-282848. The presentInventors found that a problem occurs relating to the technologymentioned in the “Related Art”. This problem will be described below indetail.

Most representative of information recording media recording video datais the DVD (hereinafter, may also be referred to as “StandardDefinition” (SD-DVD). A conventional DVD will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an SD-DVD. Asillustrated to the lower side of FIG. 1, the DVD disc has a logicaladdress space provided between a read-in and a read-out. Volumeinformation of a file system is recorded from the beginning of thelogical address space, and after that is recorded application data suchas video, audio, and so forth.

The file system is an arrangement for managing data, that is stipulatedby Standards such as ISO9660, Universal Disc Format (UDF), and so forth,and is an arrangement to express data on the disc in increments calleddirectories or files. There are file systems called File AllocationTables (FAT) and NT File System (NTFS) in everyday-use personalcomputers (PC) as well, whereby data recorded in a hard disk areexpressed on the computer as structures called directories or files,thereby improving usability.

In the case of an SD-DVD, both UDF and ISO9660 file systems are used.The two together are also referred to as “UDF bridge”. The recorded datais arranged so that the data can be read out by a file system driveraccording to either UDF or ISO9660. Note that the DVD used here is a ROMdisc for packaged media, to which writing is physically impossible.

Data recorded in the DVD can be viewed through the UDF bridge asdirectories or files such as illustrated to the upper left in FIG. 1.Immediately below the root directory (“ROOT” in FIG. 1) is placed adirectory called “VIDEO_TS”, and it is here that DVD application data isrecorded. Application data is recorded as multiple files, primary filesbeing the following types of files.

VIDEO_TS.IFO Disc play control information file VTS_01_0.IFO Video titleset #1 play control information file VTS_01_0.VOB Video title set #1stream file . . .

As shown in the above example, two suffixes are stipulated. “IFO” is asuffix indicating that the file has play control information recordedtherein, and “VOB” is a suffix indicating that the file has an MPEGstream, which is audiovisual (AV) data, recorded therein.

Play control information is information attached to the AV data, such asinformation to realize interactivity employed with the DVD (technologyto dynamically change playing in response to user operations), metadata,and so forth. Play control information is commonly referred to asnavigation information regarding DVDs.

The play control information files include the “VIDEO_TS.IFO” thatmanages the entire disc, and the “VTS_01_0.IFO” that is play controlinformation for individual video title sets. Note that multiple titles,in other words, multiple different movies and tunes, can be recorded ina single disc in the case of DVD. Now, “01” in the file name bodyindicates the No. of the video title set, and in the case of the videotitle set #2, for example, this is “VTS_02_0.IFO”.

The upper right portion in FIG. 1 is DVD navigation space in theapplication layer of the DVD, and is the logical structure space wherethe aforementioned play control information is loaded. Informationwithin the “VIDEO_TS.IFO” is loaded in the DVD navigation space as VIDEOManager Information (VMGI), as well as are “VTS_01_0.IFO” and playcontrol information existing for each of other video title sets as VideoTitle Set Information (VTSI).

Described in the VTSI is Program Chain Information (PGCI) which isinformation of a play sequence called Program Chain (PGC). PGCI is madeup of a set of Cells and a type of programming information calledcommands.

A Cell itself is information indicating a partial section or a wholesection of a VOB (short for Video Object, and indicates an MPEG stream),and playing a Cell means to play the section of this VOB instructed bythe Cell.

Commands are processed by a virtual machine of the DVD, and are close toJavaScript (a registered trademark) and so forth executed in browsers todisplay Web pages, for example. However, while JavaScript (registeredtrademark) performs window or browser control (e.g., opening a newbrowser window, etc.) besides logical operations, DVD command differ inthat they only execute playback control of AV titles, e.g., instructinga chapter to play or the like, for example, besides logical operations.

A Cell has the start and end addresses (logical addresses) of a VOBrecorded in the disc as internal information thereof. A player reads outdata using the start and end address information of the VOB described inthe Cell, and executes playback.

FIG. 2 is an overview for describing navigation information embedded inan MPEG stream, which is AV data. Interactivity, which is a feature ofthe SD-DVD, is realized not only by the navigation information recordedin the aforementioned “VIDEO_TS.IFO” and “VTS_01_0.IFO” and so forth.Several important sets of information are multiplexed in the VOB alongwith video and audio data, using a dedicated carrier called navigationpacks (called navi-pack or NV_PCK).

A menu screen will be described here as a simple example ofinteractivity. Several buttons are shown on the menu screen, withprocessing to be executed defined for each button when that button isselected.

One button is selected on the menu screen (a translucent color isoverlaid on the selected button in highlight that button, indicating tothe user that button is in a selected state), and the user can move thebutton in the selected state to any of the buttons above or below, tothe left or to the right, using arrow keys on a remote controller.

Using the arrow keys of the remote controller to move the highlight tothe button to be selected and executed, and okaying (pressing an OK key)executes the program of the corresponding command. Generally, playbackof a corresponding title or chapter is executed by the command.

The upper left portion in FIG. 2 shows an overview of information storedin an NV_PCK. Highlight color information, information of individualbuttons, and so forth, are included in the NV_PCK. Color paletteinformation is described in the highlight color information, specifyingthe highlight translucent color to be displayed overlaid.

Described in the button information are rectangular region informationwhich is the position information of each button, moving informationfrom that button to other buttons (specification of destination buttonscorresponding to each operation of the arrow keys by the user), andbutton command information (a command to be executed when that button isokayed).

The highlight on the menu screen is created as an overlaid image, asillustrated to the upper right portion in FIG. 2. The overlaid image isan object where rectangular region information of button information hasbeen given color in color palette information. This overlaid image iscomposited with the background image illustrated at the right portion inFIG. 2, and displayed on the screen.

The menu screen of a DVD is realized as described above. The reason whypart of the navigation data is embedded in the stream using an NV_PCK isas follows. That is, to realize without problem processing wheresynchronization timing readily becomes problematic, such as dynamicallyupdating menu information synchronously with the stream, for example,displaying a menu screen for just five to ten minutes partway throughplaying a movie.

Another major reason is to improve user operability, such as to storeinformation for supporting special playback in an NV_PCK, so that AVdata can be decoded and played smoothly during non-normal playback, suchas fast-forward and fast-rewind while playing the DVD.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a VOB ina DVD. Data such as video, audio, and subtitles ((1) in FIG. 3) arepacketized and packed according to the MPEG system (ISO/IEC13818-1)Standard ((2) in FIG. 3), and these are multiplexed to form a singleMPEG program stream ((3) in FIG. 3), as illustrated in FIG. 3. TheNV_PCKs including button commands for realizing interactivity are alsomultiplexed along with these, as described above.

A feature of multiplexing in the MPEG system is that the individualpixels of data that are multiplexed are in a bit string based ondecoding order, but the bit string is not necessarily formed in playbackorder, that is to say decoding order, among the multiplexed data, i.e.,among the video, audio, and subtitles.

This is due to a decoder model of the MPEG system stream ((4) in FIG. 3,generally referred to as System Target Decoder or STD) has decoderbuffers corresponding to each elementary stream after demultiplexing,that temporarily stored the data until the decoding timing.

These decoder buffers have different sized according to each of theindividual elementary streams, having 232 kB for video, 4 kB for audio,and 52 kB for subtitles. Accordingly, the data input timing to eachdecoder buffer differs among the individual elementary streams, so thereis discrepancy between the order of forming the bit string as the MPEGsystem stream, and the timing of displaying (decoding). That is to say,the subtitle data multiplexed along with the video data is notnecessarily decoded at the same time.

Now, in a large-capacity recording media such as a Blu-ray (registeredtrademark) disc, there is a possibility that extremely high-definitionvideo information can be stored. Note that Blu-ray (registeredtrademark) disc, is also called BD or BD-ROM.

For example, it is conceivable that video information such as 4K (videoinformation having resolution of 3840×2160 pixels) or HDR(high-luminance video information, generally called High Dynamic Range)may be stored in a BD. Note that conventional standard-luminance videoinformation is generally called SDR (Standard Dynamic Range).

Now, there are BS where both HDR and SDR are recorded, in order to playcontents on both HDR-compatible televisions and HDR-incompatible (onlycompatible with SDR) televisions. In such BDs, a problem is to simplifyplayback control such as video stream selection and so forth. ThePresent Inventors studied the following improvement measures to solvethe above problem.

Recorded in a recording medium according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure are a video stream of standard-luminance range, and a videostream of high-luminance range that is a broader luminance range thanthe standard-luminance range, which are used selectively in accordancewith a playback environment, a subtitle stream of the standard-luminancerange, and a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range, which are usedselectively in accordance with the playback environment, and a playlistfile storing playback control information of content, the playlist fileincluding a management region where the playback control informationrelating to a main stream is stored, and an extended region. Themanagement region stores first playback control information specifyingthat a video stream of the high-luminance range and a subtitle stream ofthe high-luminance range are to be played in combination. The extendedregion stores second playback control information specifying that avideo stream of the standard-luminance range and a subtitle stream ofthe standard-luminance range are to be played in combination.

A playback device that plays a recording medium having such aconfiguration can read out the first playback control information storedin the management region in a case of selecting and playing a videostream of a high-luminance range. On the other hand, The playback devicecan read out the second playback control information stored in theextended region in a case of selecting and playing a video stream of astandard-luminance range. Accordingly, the playback device can playvideo streams of the standard-luminance range by about the sameprocessing as video streams of the high-luminance range.

Also, a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range is combined with thevideo stream of the high-luminance range, so a situation will not occursuch as an SDR subtitle stream being combined with an HDR video stream.

Thus, according to the above recording medium, playback control such asselecting video streams and so forth is simplified. According to theabove-described recording medium, the video stream selection processingand playback processing of a playback device that can play thisrecording medium can be simplified.

Part of the second playback control information may have a common datastructure with the first playback control information.

Accordingly, the playback device can play video streams of thestandard-luminance range by about the same processing as video streamsof the high-luminance range. This is also advantageous in that authoringby the system is easy, and advantageous in that mounting/operationverification processing of the player is easy (costs can be reduced).

The recording medium may further have recorded therein a managementinformation file including a map region storing map informationindicating a position of an independently decodable picture included ina video stream, and an extended map region, wherein the map regionstores first map information indicating a position, in a video stream ofthe high-luminance range, of an independently decodable picture includedin a video stream of the high-luminance range, and wherein the extendedmap region stores second map information indicating a position, in avideo stream of the standard-luminance range, of an independentlydecodable picture included in a video stream of the standard-luminancerange.

The playback device that plays a recording medium having such aconfiguration can read out the first map information in the map regionwhen selecting a video stream of high-luminance range and performingrandom access playback of the like, and can read out the second mapinformation in the extended map region when selecting an SDR videostream and performing random access playback of the like. That is tosay, according to such a BD, the video stream selection processing andplayback processing of the playback device that plays this BD can befacilitated in cases of performing random access playback (specialplayback) and so forth as well.

The recording medium may further have recorded therein a sub-playlistfile storing the playback control information relating to a sub-streamplayed at the same time as the main stream file, wherein third playbackcontrol information relating to an enhanced video stream for extendingthe luminance range of the video stream of the high-luminance range isstored in the sub-playlist file.

The playback device that plays a recording medium having such aconfiguration can read out the first control information within themanagement region and the third control information within thesub-playlist, and thereby play the video stream of high-luminance rangeand the enhanced stream at the same time. That is to say, according tosuch a BD, enhancement processing of the video stream in thehigh-luminance range by the player that plays this BD can befacilitated.

The recording medium may further have recorded therein a sub-playlistfile storing the playback control information relating to a sub-streamplayed at the same time as the main stream file, wherein third playbackcontrol information relating to an enhanced video stream for extendingthe luminance range of the video stream of the high-luminance range isstored in the sub-playlist file, and wherein the map region stores thefirst map information, and third map information indicating a position,in the enhanced video stream, of an independently decodable pictureincluded in the enhanced video stream.

The playback device that plays a recording medium having such aconfiguration can play a video stream of high-luminance range and anenhanced stream at the same time, by reading out the first controlinformation within the management region and the third controlinformation within the sub-playlist. That is to say, according to such aBD, enhancement processing of the video stream in the high-luminancerange by the playback device that plays this BD can be facilitated.

Also, when performing random access playback or the like, the playbackdevice can further read out just information within the map region. Thatis to say, according to such a BD, the playback processing of theplayback device that plays this BD can be facilitated in a case ofenhancing the high-luminance range video stream and also performingrandom access playback or the like.

A playback method according to an aspect of the present disclosure is aplayback method of reading out and playing content from a recordingmedium in which is recorded a video stream of standard-luminance range,and a video stream of high-luminance range that is a broader luminancerange than the standard-luminance range, which are used selectively inaccordance with a playback environment, a subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range, and a subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, which are used selectively in accordance with the playbackenvironment, and a playlist file storing playback control information ofcontent, the playlist file including a management region where theplayback control information relating to a main stream is stored, and anextended region. The management region storing first playback controlinformation specifying that a video stream of the high-luminance rangeand a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range are to be played incombination. The extended region storing second playback controlinformation specifying that a video stream of the standard-luminancerange and a subtitle stream of the standard-luminance range are to beplayed in combination. The playback method includes: reading out andplaying a video stream of the high-luminance range and a subtitle streamof the high-luminance range, based on the first playback controlinformation, in a case of playing the content as a content of thehigh-luminance range; and reading out and playing a video stream of thestandard-luminance range and a subtitle stream of the standard-luminancerange, based on the second playback control information, in a case ofplaying the content as a content of the standard-luminance range.

Part of the second playback control information may have a common datastructure with the first playback control information.

The recording medium may further have recorded therein a managementinformation file including a map region storing map informationindicating a position of an independently decodable picture included ina video stream, and an extended map region, the map region storing firstmap information indicating a position, in a video stream of thehigh-luminance range, of an independently decodable picture included ina video stream of the high-luminance range, and the extended map regionstoring second map information indicating a position, in a video streamof the standard-luminance range, of an independently decodable pictureincluded in a video stream of the standard-luminance range. The playbackmethod may further include: reading out and playing a video stream ofthe high-luminance range and a subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, based on the first playback control information and the first mapinformation, in a case of playing the content as a content of thehigh-luminance range; and reading out and playing a video stream of thestandard-luminance range and a subtitle stream of the standard-luminancerange, based on the second playback control information and the secondmap information, in a case of playing the content as a content of thestandard-luminance range.

The recording medium may further have recorded therein a sub-playlistfile storing the playback control information relating to a sub-streamplayed at the same time as the main stream file, and third playbackcontrol information relating to an enhanced video stream for extendingthe luminance range of the video stream of the high-luminance rangebeing stored in the sub-playlist file. The playback method may furtherinclude: reading out and playing a video stream of the high-luminancerange and a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range, based on thefirst playback control information, and also reading out and playing theenhanced video stream based on the third playback control information,in a case of playing the content as a content of a luminance range thathas been extended beyond the high-luminance range.

The recording medium may further have recorded therein a sub-playlistfile storing the playback control information relating to a sub-streamplayed at the same time as the main stream file, third playback controlinformation relating to an enhanced video stream for extending theluminance range of the video stream of the high-luminance range beingstored in the sub-playlist file, and the map region storing the firstmap information, and third map information indicating a position, in theenhanced video stream, of an independently decodable picture included inthe enhanced video stream. The playback method may further include:reading out and playing a video stream of the high-luminance range and asubtitle stream of the high-luminance range, based on the first playbackcontrol information and the first map information, and also reading outand playing the enhanced video stream based on the third playbackcontrol information and the third map information, in a case of playingthe content as a content of a luminance range that has been extendedbeyond the high-luminance range.

A playback device according to an aspect of the present disclosure is aplayback device that reads out and plays content from a recording mediumin which is recorded a video stream of standard-luminance range, and avideo stream of high-luminance range that is a broader luminance rangethan the standard-luminance range, which are used selectively inaccordance with a playback environment, a subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range, and a subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, which are used selectively in accordance with the playbackenvironment, and a playlist file storing playback control information ofcontent, the playlist file including a management region where theplayback control information relating to a main stream is stored, and anextended region. The management region stores first playback controlinformation specifying that a video stream of the high-luminance rangeand a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range are to be played incombination. The extended region stores second playback controlinformation specifying that a video stream of the standard-luminancerange and a subtitle stream of the standard-luminance range are to beplayed in combination. The playback device includes: a video playbackunit that (1) reads out and plays a video stream of the high-luminancerange and a subtitle stream of the high-luminance range, based on thefirst playback control information, in a case of playing the content asa content of the high-luminance range, and (2) reads out and plays avideo stream of the standard-luminance range and a subtitle stream ofthe standard-luminance range, based on the second playback controlinformation, in a case of playing the content as a content of thestandard-luminance range.

These general or specific aspects may be realized by a device, method,system, integrated circuit, computer program, or computer-readablerecording medium such as a CD-ROM, and may be realized by anycombination of a system, method, integrated circuit, computer program,and recording medium.

Preferred embodiments to carry out the present disclosure will bedescribed below with reference to the attached drawings. It should benoted that the second embodiment is the closest to the disclosure inClaim 1 of the present application, the basic configuration of theinformation recording medium and so forth in the second embodiment willbe described first by way of the first embodiment, to facilitateunderstanding.

First Embodiment

First, the basic structure and operations of a BD-ROM and a BD-ROMplayer that plays BD-ROMs will be described with reference to FIGS. 1through 30.

Logical Data Structure on Disc

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating data hierarchy on a BD-ROM. Asillustrated in FIG. 4, there are recorded in a BD-ROM 104 that is a discmedium, AV data 103, BD management information 102 such as managementinformation relating to the AV data, AV playback sequence, and so forth,and a BD playback program 101 that realizes interactivity.

Note that in the present embodiment, description of BD-ROM will be madeprimarily with regard to an AV application that plays AV contents suchas movies, but a BD-ROM can be used as a recording medium for computeruse, in the same way as with CR-ROMs and DVD-ROMs, as a matter ofcourse.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the structure of logical data recordedon the above BD-ROM 104. The BD-ROM 104 has a recording region in theform of a spiral from the inner perimeter thereof toward the outerperimeter, and has a logical address space where logical data can berecorded, between a read-in at the inner perimeter and a read-out at theouter perimeter, in the same way as with other optical discs, such asDVDs and CDs, for example.

On the inner side of the read-in there is a special region called aBurst Cutting Area (BCA), that can only be read out by the drive. Thisregion is unreadable by applications, and accordingly is often used incopyright protection technology and so forth, for example.

Application data such as video data and the like is recorded the logicaladdress space, with file system information (volume) at the beginningthereof. The file system is the arrangement for managing data stipulatedby a standard such as UDF or ISO9660 or the like, as described above inthe conventional art. Logical data recorded therein can be read outusing the directory and file structure, in the same way as with a normalPC.

In the case of the present embodiment, the directory and file structureon the BD-ROM 104 has a BDVIDEO directory immediately below the rootdirectory (ROOT). This directory is a directory in which data, such asAV data and management information handled by the BD-ROM (the BDplayback program 101, BD management information 102, and AV data 103illustrated in FIG. 4) is recorded.

The following seven types of files are recorded beneath the BDVIDEOdirectory.

BD.INFO (fixed filename)

This is one of “BD management information”, and is a file in which isrecorded information relating to the entire BD-ROM. The BD-ROM playerreads out this file first.

BD.PROG (fixed filename)

This is one of “BD playback programs”, and is a file in which isrecorded a program relating to the entire BD-ROM.

XXX.PL (“XXX” is variable, suffix “PL” is fixed)

This is one of “BD management information”, and is a file in which isrecorded playlist (Play List) information that records a scenario. Eachplaylist has one file.

XXX.PROG (“XXX” is variable, suffix “PROG” is fixed)

This is one of “BD playback programs”, and is a file in which isrecorded a program for each aforementioned playlist. The correlation tothe playlist is identified by the file body name (“XXX” matches).

YYY.VOB (“YYY” is variable, suffix “VOB” is fixed)

This is one of “AV data”, and is a file in which is recorded a VOB (thesame as the VOB described in the example of the conventional art). OneVOB corresponds to one file.

YYY.VOBI (“YYY” is variable, suffix “VOBI” is fixed)

This is one of “BD management information”, and is a file in which isrecorded management information relating to the VOB which is AV data.The correlation to the VOB is identified by the file body name (“YYY”matches).

ZZZ.PNG (“ZZZ” is variable, suffix “PNG” is fixed)

This is one of “AV data”, and is a file in PNG (an image formatstandardized by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and is pronounced“ping”) which is image data for configuring subtitles and menu screens.One PNG image corresponds to one file.

Player Configuration

Next, the configuration of a player that plays the BD-ROM 104 will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagramillustrating the basic configuration of a BD-ROM player that plays theBD-ROM 104. The BD-ROM player illustrated in FIG. 6 reads out data onthe BD-ROM 104 via an optical pickup 202. The data that is read out isstored in dedicated memory in accordance with the type of each data.

The BD playback program (“BD.PROG” or “XXX.PROG” file) is recorded inprogram recording memory 203, the BD management information (“BD.INFO”,“XXX.PL”, or “YYY.VOBI” file) in management information recording memory204, and AV data (“YYY.VOB” or “ZZZ.PNG” file) in AV recording memory205, respectively.

The BD playback program recorded in the program recording memory 203 isprocessed by a program processing unit 206. The BD managementinformation recorded in the management information recording memory 204is processed by a management information processing unit 207. Also, theAV data recorded in the AV recording memory 205 is processed by apresentation processing unit 208.

The program processing unit 206 receives information of a playlist to beplayed from and event information such as the timing to execute aprogram from the management information processing unit 207, andperforms processing of the program. The playlist to play can bedynamically changed at the program, and this can be realized by sendinga play command of the playlist after changing to the managementinformation processing unit 207.

The program processing unit 206 further accepts events from the user,such as requests from a remote controller that the user operates forexample, and in a case where there is a program corresponding to theuser event, executes the processing.

The management information processing unit 207 receives instructionsfrom the program processing unit 206 and analyzes a playlistcorresponding to that instruction and the management information of aVOB corresponding to that playlist. Further, instructions of AV data tobe played are given to the presentation processing unit 208.

The management information processing unit 207 also receives referencetime information from the presentation processing unit 208, and performsstopping instruction of the AV data playback to the presentationprocessing unit 208 based on the time information. Further, an event isgenerated indicating the program executing timing as to the programprocessing unit 206.

The presentation processing unit 208 has decoders corresponding to eachdata of video, audio, and subtitles, and decodes and outputs AV data inaccordance with instructions from the management information processingunit 207. The video data and subtitle data is drawn on respectivededicated planes after decoding.

Specifically, the video data is drawn on a video plane 210, and imagedata such as subtitle data is drawn on an image plane 209, further,compositing processing of the video drawn on the two planes is performedby a compositing processing unit 211 and output to a display device suchas a television (TV) or the like.

The BD-ROM player has a configuration based on the data structurerecorded in the BD-ROM 104 illustrated in FIG. 4, as illustrated in FIG.6. FIG. 7 is a block diagram detailing the configuration of the playerillustrated in FIG. 6. The correlation of the components illustrated inFIG. 6 and the components illustrated in FIG. 7 is as follows.

The AV recording memory 205 corresponds to image memory 308 and a trackbuffer 309. The program processing unit 206 corresponds to a programprocessor 302 and a UO (User Operation) manager 303.

The management information processing unit 207 corresponds to a scenarioprocessor 305 and a presentation controller 306. The presentationprocessing unit 208 corresponds to a clock 307, a demultiplexer 310, animage processor 311, a video processor 312, and a sound processor 313.

The VOB data (MPEG stream) read out from the BD-ROM 104 is recorded inthe track buffer 309, and the image data (PNG) in the image memory 308.

The demultiplexer 310 extracts VOB data recorded in the track buffer309, based on the time obtained from the clock 307. Further, video dataincluded in the VOB data is sent to the video processor 312, and theaudio data to the sound processor 313.

The video processor 312 and sound processor 313 each are configuredincluding a decoder buffer and a decoder, as stipulated by the MPEGsystem standard. That is to say, the data of each of the video and audiosent from the demultiplexer 310 is temporarily recorded in therespective decoder buffers, and subjected to decoding processing at therespective decoders following the clock 307.

There are the following two processing methods for the PNG data recordedin the image memory 308. In a case where the PNG data is for subtitles,the decoding timing is instructed by the presentation controller 306.The scenario processor 305 first receives the time information from theclock 307, and instructs the presentation controller 306 to display ornot display subtitles when the subtitle display time (starting andending) arrives, so that appropriate subtitle display can be performed.

The image processor 311 which has received a decode/display instructionfrom the presentation controller 306 extracts the corresponding PNG datafrom the image memory 308, decodes, and draws on the image plane 209.

Also, in a case where the PNG data is for a menu screen, the decodingtiming is instructed by the program processor 302. When the programprocessor 302 instructs decoding of the image is dependent on the BDprogram that the program processor 302 is processing, and accordingly isnot always the same.

The image data and video data is drawn on the image plane 209 and videoplane 210 after the respective decoding described in FIG. 6, andcomposited and output by the compositing processing unit 211.

The management information read out from the BD-ROM 104 (scenario and AVmanagement information) is recorded in the management informationrecording memory 204, but the scenario information (“BD.INFO” and“XXX.PL”) is read out and processed by the scenario processor 305. Also,the AV management information (“YYY.VOBI”) is read out and processed bythe presentation controller 306.

The scenario processor 305 analyzes the playlist information, instructsthe presentation controller 306 of the VOB referenced by the playlistand the playback position thereof. The presentation controller 306analyzes the management information (“YYY.VOBI”) of the VOB to behandled, and instructs a drive controller 317 to read out the VOB to behandled.

The drive controller 317 follows the instructions of the presentationcontroller 306 to move the optical pickup 202, and read out the AV datato e handled. The AV data that has been read out is recorded in theimage memory 308 or track buffer 309, as described earlier.

The scenario processor 305 monitors the time of the clock 307, and handsthe event to the program processor 302 at the timing set in themanagement information.

The BD program recorded in the program recording memory 203 (“BD.PROG”or “XXX.PROG”) is executed by the program processor 302. The programprocessor 302 processes a BD program in a case where an event has beensent from the scenario processor 305 or a case where an event has beensent from the UO manager 303. In a case where a request has been sentfrom the user by a remote controller key, the UO manager 303 generatesan event corresponding to this request, and sends to the programprocessor 302. Playback of a BD-ROM is performed by the operations ofthe components as described above.

Application Space

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating application space of a BD-ROM. In theapplication space of a BD-ROM, a playlist (PlayList) is one playbackunit. A playlist has a static scenario that is made up of a playbacksequence of cells (Cell), and a dynamic scenario described by a program.As long as there is no dynamic scenario according to a program, theplaylist is simply playing the individual cells in order, and playbackof the playlist ends at the point that playback of all cells has ended.

On the other hand, a program is capable of describing playback beyondthe playlist, and dynamically changing the object of playback inaccordion with user selections or the state of the player. A typicalexample is dynamic change of the object of playback made via the menusscreen. In the case of a BD-ROM, a menu is a scenario played by userselection, i.e., one component of a function to dynamically select aplaylist.

The term program as used here means an event handler executed by atime-based event or a user event. A time-based event is an eventgenerated based on time information embedded in the playlist. An eventsent from the scenario processor 305 to the program processor 302 asdescribed in FIG. 7 corresponds to this. Upon a time-based event beingissued, the program processor 302 process execution of an event handlercorrelated by ID.

As described earlier, a program to be executed may instruct playback ofanother playlist, and in this case, the playback of the playlistcurrently being played is canceled, and transitions to playback of thespecified playlist.

A user event is an event generated by operations of remote controllerkeys by the user. There are two general types of user events. A first isan event of selecting a menu generated by operations of cursor keys(“up”, “down”, “left”, and “right” keys) and an “OK” key that the remotecontroller has.

The event handler corresponding to the event of menu selection is onlyvalid for restricted time within the playlist. That is to say, validityperiods are set for each of the event handles, as playlist information.The program processor 302 searches for a valid event handler when an“up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, or “OK” key has been pressed, and in acase where there is a valid event handler, the event handler isexecuted. Otherwise, the event of menu selection is ignored.

The second user event is an event for calling up a menu screen generatedby operation of a “menu” key. Upon a menu screen call-up event beinggenerated, a global event handler is called.

A global event handler is an event handler that is not dependent on anyplaylist, and is constantly valid. Using this function enables a DVDmenu call to be implemented. Implementing a menu call enables audio andsubtitle menus and so forth to be called up during playback of a title,and to execute playback of the title from the paused point where theaudio or subtitles was changed.

A cell (Cell), which is a unit making up a static scenario in theplaylist, is a reference to all or part of a playback section of a VOB(MPEG stream). A cell has information of starting and ending time of theplayback section within the VOB. VOB management information (VOBI), thatis paired with each VOB, has a time map (Time Map or TM) therein, andcan find the readout start address and end address for the playback andend time of the VOB within the VOB (i.e., within the object file“YYY.VOB”) described by this time map. Details of the time map will bedescribed later with reference to FIG. 14.

Details of VOB

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an MPEG stream(VOB) used in the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 9, a VOB ismade up of multiple Video Object Units (VOBU). A VOBU is a unit based ona Group Of Pictures (GOP) in a MPEG video stream, and is one playbackunit in a multiplexed stream including audio data.

A VOBU has playback time of 0.4 seconds to 1.0 seconds, and normally hasplayback time of 0.5 seconds. This is due to the MPEG GOP structurenormally being 15 frames/second (in the case of NTSC).

A VOBU has a video pack (V_PCK) that is video data and an audio pack(A_PCK) that is audio data therein. Each pack is configured of 1 sector,and in the case of the present embodiment is configured in 2 kB units.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a pack in an MPEGstream. Elementary data such as video data and audio data aresequentially input from the beginning of a data storage region in apacket, called a payload, as illustrated in FIG. 10. A packet header isattached to a payload, making up one packet.

Recorded in the packet data is an ID (stream_id) for identifying whichstream the data stored the payload belongs to, whether video data oraudio data, and in a case there are multiple streams worth of video dataor audio data, which stream the data belongs to, and a Decode Time Stamp(DTS) and Presentation Time Stamp (PTS) that are timestamps for thedecoding and displaying time information of this payload.

Not all packet headers necessarily have a DTS and PTS recorded; rulesfor recording are stipulated in MPEG. Details of the rules are laidforth in the MPEG system (ISO/IEC13818-1) Standard, and accordingly willbe omitted here.

A header (pack header) is further added to the packet, thereby making upa pack. The pack header has recorded therein a System Clock Reference(SCR) that is a timestamp indicating when this pack passes through thedemultiplexer 310 and is to be input to decoder buffers of theindividual elementary streams. Interleaved Recording of VOB

Interleaved recorded of VOB files will be described with reference toFIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing the relationshipbetween the AV data and the configuration of a BD-ROM player.Illustrated to the upper side of FIG. 11 is part of the playerconfiguration diagram described above with reference to FIG. 7. The datain the BD-ROM is passes through the optical pickup 202 and is input tothe track buffer 309 if a VOB, i.e., an MPEG stream, and input to theimage memory 308 if a PNG, i.e., image data.

The track buffer 309 is a First-In First-Out (FIFO), with input VOB databeing sent to the demultiplexer 310 in the order in which it was input.At this time, the individual packs are extracted from the track buffer309 according to the aforementioned SCR, and data is delivered to thevideo processor 312 or sound processor 313 via the demultiplexer 310.

On the other hand, In a case of image data, which image to draw isinstructed by the presentation controller 306 (see FIG. 7). The imagedata used for drawing is deleted from the image memory 308 at the sametime if image data for subtitles, but is retained in the image memory308 if image data for a menu. This is because drawing of the menu isdependent on user operations, so there is the possibility that the sameimage will be drawn multiple times.

Illustrated to the lower side of FIG. 11 is interleaved recording of aVOB file and PNG files on the BD-ROM. Generally, in the case of a CD-ROMor DVD-ROM for example, AV data that is a series of continuous playingunits is recorded continuously. As long as the data is recordedcontinuously, all the drive has to do is to sequentially read out thedata and deliver it to the player side.

However, in a case where the AV data to be continuously play isfragmented and dispersed across the disc, seek operations are interposedbetween the individual continuous sections, and data readout stopsduring this time. That is to say, supply of data may stop.

In the same way, recording of a VOB file in a continuous region isdesirable for BD-ROMs as well, but there is data such as subtitle datafor example, that is to be played synchronously with the video data inthe VOB, so the subtitle data needs to be read out from the BD-ROM inone way or another.

One way of reading out subtitle data is to read out all subtitle imagedata (PNG file) before starting playback of the VOB. However in thiscase, a great amount of memory is necessary to use for temporaryrecording, so this is not realistic. Accordingly, a method where a VOBfile is divided into several blocks, and the VOB file and image aresubjected to interleaved recording is employed with the presentembodiment.

Illustrated to the lower side of FIG. 11 is interleaved recording. Bysuitably performing interleaved placement of the VOB file and imagedata, image data can be stored in the image memory 308 at a necessarytiming, without the great amount of temporary recording memory describedabove. However, while the image data is being read out, readout of VOBdata stops, as a matter of course.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for describing a VOB data continuous supply modelusing the track buffer 309, to solve the above problem in interleavedrecording. As described earlier, VOB data is temporarily stored in thetrack buffer 309. Setting the data input rate to the track buffer 309 tobe higher than the data output rate from the track buffer 309 means thatthe amount of data sorted in the track buffer 309 continues to increase,as long as data is being read out from the BD-ROM.

Now, the input rate to the track buffer 309 is denoted by Va, and theoutput rate from the track buffer 309 is denoted by Vb. The continuousrecording region of the VOB continues from “a1” to “a2” as illustratedto the upper side of FIG. 12. From “a2” to “a3” is a section where imagedata is recorded, so VOB data cannot be read out.

Illustrated to the lower side of in FIG. 12 is the stored amount in thetrack buffer 309. The horizontal axis represents time, and the verticalaxis represents the amount of data sorted inside the track buffer 309.The time “t1” indicates the time at which readout of the continuousrecording region of the VOB “a1” has started.

After this time, data will be accumulated in the track buffer 309 at arate of Va−Vb. It is needless to say that this is the difference in theinput/output rates of the track buffer 309. Time “t2” is the time toread in data at “a2”, and is the end point of one continuous recordingregion.

That is to say, the amount of data in the track buffer 309 increases atthe rate of Va−Vb from “t1” to “t2”, and the data accumulation amountB(t2) at the time “t2” can be calculated by the following Expression(1).

B(t2)=(Va−Vb)x(t2−t1)  Expression (1)

Thereafter, image data continues until the address “a3” on the BD-ROM,so input to the track buffer 309 is 0, and the amount of data within thetrack buffer 309 decreases at an output rate “−Vb”. This reduction indata amount continues until the readout position “a3”, i.e., until thetime “t3”.

What is important here is that once the data amount stored in the trackbuffer 309 before time “t3” reaches 0, there is no more VOB data tosupply to the decoder, so playback of the VOB will stop. However, in acase where the is data remaining in the track buffer 309 at time “t3”,this means that playback of the VOB can be continued without stopping.

The conditions for the VOB playback to be continuously performed withoutstopping can be expressed by the following Expression (2).

B(t2)−Vb×(t3−t2)  Expression (2)

That is to say, the array of image data should be decided so as tosatisfy Expression (2).

Navigation Data Structure

The structure of navigation data (BD management information) recorded inthe BD-ROM will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 through 19. FIG.13 is a diagram illustrating the internal structure of a VOB managementinformation file (“YYY.VOBI”).

The VOB management information has stream attribute information(Attribute) and a time map (TMAP) of this VOB. The stream attributeinformation is of a configuration having video attributes (Video) andaudio attributes (Audio#0 through Audio#m) individually. Particularly,in the case of an audio stream, the VOB can have multiple audio streamsat the same time, so the number of data fields of the audio attributesis identified by the number of audio streams (Number).

The following is an example of fields that the video attributes (Video)have, and values which each can have.

Compression format (Coding):

-   -   MPEG1    -   MPEG2    -   MPEG4

Resolution (Resolution):

-   -   1920×1080    -   1280×720    -   720×480    -   720×565

Aspect ratio (Aspect):

-   -   4:3    -   16:9

Frame rate (Framerate):

-   -   60    -   59.94    -   50    -   30    -   29.97    -   25    -   24

The following are example of fields that the audio attributes (Audio)have, and values which each can have.

Compression format (Coding):

-   -   AC3    -   MPEG1    -   MPEG2    -   LPCM

Number of channels (Ch):

-   -   1 to 8

Language attributes (Language):

-   -   JPN, ENG, . . .

The time map (TMAP) is a table having information for each VOBU, andholds the number of VOBUs (Number) that the VOB has, and each VOBUinformation (VOBU#1 through VOBU#n). Each VOBU information has aplaytime length (Duration) of the VOBU and data size (Size) of the VOBU.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for describing the details of VOBU information. Itis widely known that the MPEG stream has aspects regarding two physicalamounts, a temporal aspect and a data-size aspect. For example, AudioCode number 3 (AC3) that is an audio compression standard performscompression at a fixed bitrate, so the relationship between time andaddress can be obtained by a primary expression.

However, in the case of MPEG video data, each frame has a fixed displaytime such as 1/29.97 seconds in the case of NTSC for example, but thedata size of each frame after compression will vary greatly depending onthe picture properties and the picture type used in compression, whichare the so-called I/P/B pictures.

Accordingly, it is impossible to express the relationship between timeand address by a common expression in the case of MPEG video. As amatter of course, it is impossible to express the relationship betweentime and address by a common expression, with regard to an MPEG streamwhere MPEG video data has been multiplexed, i.e., a VOB, as well.

Instead, the relationship between time and address within the VOB isassociated by a time map (TMAP). A table which has the number of framesin each VOBU and the number of packs in the VOBU as entries is the timemap (TMAP), as illustrated in FIG. 14.

How to use a time map (TMAP) will be described with reference to FIG.15. FIG. 15 is a diagram for describing an address acquisition methodusing a time map. In a case where time information (Time) is provided,as illustrated in FIG. 15, first, to which VOBU that time belongs issearched for. Specifically, the number of frames is added for each VOBUin the time map, and the VOBU where the sum of the number of framesexceeds or matches the value obtained by converting this time into thenumber of frames is the VOBU that corresponds to this time.

Next, the size for each VOBU in the time map are added up to the VOBUimmediately preceding this VOBU, and that values is the beginningaddress (Address) of the pack to be read out to play the frame includingthe time that has been given. Accordingly, an address corresponding togiven time information can be obtained in an MPEG stream.

Next, the internal structure of the playlist (“XXX.PL”) will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustratingthe configuration of a playlist. A playlist is made up of a cell list(CellList) and event list (EventList).

A cell list (CellList) is information indicating the playback cellsequence within the playlist, and cells are played in the order ofdescription in this list. The content of a cell list (CellList) is thenumber of cells (Number) and information of each cell (Cell#1 throughCell#n).

The information of each cell (Cell#1 through Cell#n) has the VOBfilename (VOBName), the valid section start time (In) and valid sectionend time (Out) in this VOB, and a subtitle table (SubtitleTable). Thevalid section start time (In) and valid section end time (Out) are eachexpressed by frame No. within this VOB, and the address for VOB datanecessary for playback can be obtained by using the above-described timemap (TMAP).

The subtitle table (SubtitleTable) is a table having subtitleinformation that is synchronously played with this VOB. The subtitlesmay have multiple languages, in the same way as with the audio. Thesubtitle table (SubtitleTable) is made up of the number of languages(Number) and a subsequent table for each language (Language#1 throughLanguage#k).

The table for each language (Language#1 through Language#k) is made upof language information (Language), the number of pieces of subtitleinformation of the subtitles to be displayed (Number) The subtitleinformation of the subtitles to be displayed (Speech#1 throughSpeech#j). Each subtitle information (Speech#1 through Speech#j) is madeup of a corresponding image data filename (Name), subtitle display starttime (In) and subtitle display end time (Out), and subtitle displayposition (Position).

The event list (EventList) is a table defining events occurring withinthis playlist. The event list is made up of the number of events(Number), and following this the individual events (Event#1 throughEvent#m), each event (Event#1 through Event#m) being made up of eventtype (Type), event ID (ID), event generation time (Time), and validperiod (Duration).

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an event handlertable (“XXX.PROG”) that has an event handler (time-based events, anduser events for menu selection), for each playlist. The event handlertable contains the number of event handlers/programs that are defined(Number), and individual event handlers/programs (Program#1 throughProgram#n).

The description within each of the event handlers/programs (Program#1through Program#n) contains a definition of the start the event handler(an <event_handler> tag) and an event handler ID (event handler id) thatis paired with the aforementioned event ID. Following this, the programis described between brackets { } after “function”.

Next, the information relating to the entire BD-ROM (“BD.INFO”) will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 18. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustratingthe configuration of BD.INFO which is overall BD-ROM information. Theoverall BD-ROM information is made up of a title list (TitleList) andevent list (EventList) for global events.

The title list (TitleList) is made up of the number of titles in thedisc (Number), and subsequently each title information (Title#1 throughTitle#n).

Each title information (Title#1 through Title#n) includes a playlisttable (PLTable) and a chapter list within the title (ChapterList). Theplaylist table (PLTable) includes the number of playlist in the title(Number) and the playlist names (Name), i.e., the filenames of theplaylists.

The chapter list (ChapterList) is made up of the number of chaptersincluded in this title (Number), and each chapter information (Chapter#1through Chapter#n). Each chapter information (Chapter#1 throughChapter#n) has a table of cells that this chapter includes (CellTable),the cell table (CellTable) being made up of the number of cells (Number)and entry information of each cell (CellEntry#1 through CellEntry#k).

Cell entry information (CellEntry#1 through CellEntry#k) is described asthe playlist name containing this cell and the cell No. Within theplaylist.

The event list (EventList) has the number of global events (Number) andinformation of each global event (Event#1 through Event#m). What isnoteworthy here is that the global event that is defined first is calleda first event (FirstEvent), and is the event that is executed first whenthe BD-ROM is inserted into the player.

Each global event information (Event#1 through Event#m) has only theevent type (Type) and ID of the event (ID).

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the global eventhandler table (“BD.PROG”). This table is the same in content as theevent handler table described in FIG. 17, so description thereof will beomitted.

Mechanism of Event Occurrence

The mechanism of event occurrence will be described with reference toFIGS. 20 through 22. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of atime event. As described above, a time event is defined by the eventlist (EventList) in the playlist (“XXX.PL”).

In a case of an event defined as a time event, i.e., event type (Type)is “TimeEvent”, at the point of the event generation time (“t1”), a timeevent having the ID “Ex1” is output from the scenario processor 305 tothe program processor 302. The program processor 302 searches for thehandler that has the ID “Ex1”, and executes the relevant event handler.For example, in the case of the present embodiment, a two-button imagecan be drawn, or the like.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user event due to auser having operated a menu. As described above, a user event due tomenu operations is also defined by the event list (EventList) in theplaylist (“XXX.PL”).

In the case of an event defined as a user event, i.e., in a case wherethe event type (type) is “UserEvent”, this user event is ready at thepoint that of reaching the event generation time (“t1”). At this time,the event itself is not generated yet. This event is in a ready stateduring the period (“T1”) described in the valid period information(Duration).

When a remote controller key “up”, “down”, “left”, or “right”, has beenpressed by the user, or when the “OK” key has been pressed, first, a UOevent is generated by the UO manager 303 and output to the programprocessor 302, as illustrated in FIG. 21.

The program processor 302 hands a UO event to the scenario processor305, and upon receiving the UO event, the scenario processor 305searches for whether or not a valid user event exists. In a case wherethere is a relevant user event as the result of the search, the scenarioprocessor 305 generates a user event, and outputs to the programprocessor 302.

The program processor 302 searches for an event handler having the eventID, in the case of the example illustrated in FIG. 21 for example,“Ev1”, and executes the relevant event handler. In the case of thisexample, playback of playlist#2 is started.

The generated user event does not include information regarding whichremote controller key has been pressed by the user. The information ofthe remote controller key that has been selected is notified to theprogram processor 302 by the UO event, and is recorded and held in aregister that the virtual player has. The program of the event handlercan check the value of this register and execute branching processing.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of a global event. Asdescribed earlier, a global event is defined in the event list(EventList) in the overall BD-ROM information (“BD.INFO”). An eventdefined as a global event, i.e., an event of which the event type (Type)is “GlobalEvent”, is generated only in a case where the user hasoperated a remote controller key.

In a case where the user has pressed the menu key, first, a UO event isgenerated by the UO manager 303 and output to the program processor 302.The program processor 302 hands the UO event to the scenario processor305.

The scenario processor 305 generates the relevant global event, andsends it to the program processor 302. The program processor 302searches for an event handler having the event ID “menu”, and executesthis event handler. For example, in the case of the example illustratedin FIG. 22, playback of playlist#3 is started.

In the present embodiment, this is referred to simply as menu key, butthere may be multiple menu keys such as on the remote controller of aplayer that plays DVDs. Defining an ID corresponding to each menu keyenables appropriate processing to be performed as to each menu key.

Virtual Player Machine

FIG. 23 is a diagram for describing the functional configuration of theprogram processor 302. The functional configuration of the programprocessor 302 will be described with reference to FIG. 23. The programprocessor 302 is a processing module that has a virtual player machineinside. A virtual player machine is a function model defined as aBD-ROM, and is not dependent on the implementation of each BD-ROMplayer. That is to say, this guarantees that the same function can beexecuted in every BD-ROM player.

A virtual player machine has two major functions; programming functionsand player variables. The player variables are stored and held in aregister. The programming functions are based on JavaScript (registeredtrademark), and the following three functions are defined asBD-ROM-unique functions.

Link function: Stops the current playback, and starts playback fromspecified playlist, cell, and time.

Link (PL#, Cell#, time)

-   -   PL#: playlist name    -   Cell#: cell No.    -   Time: time in cell to start playback        PNG drawing function: Draws specified PNG data on image plane        209.

Draw (File, X, Y)

-   -   File: PNG filename    -   X: X coordinate position    -   Y: Y coordinate position        Image plane clear function: Clears specified region of image        plane 209.

Clear (X, Y, W, H)

-   -   X: X coordinate position    -   Y: Y coordinate position    -   W: width in X direction    -   H: width in Y direction

The player variables include system parameters (SPRM) indicating settingvalues and so forth of the player, and general parameters (GPRM) usablein general uses.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a list of system parameters (SPRM).

SPRM(0): Language code

SPRM(1): Audio stream No.

SPRM(2): Subtitle stream No.

SPRM(3): Angle No.

SPRM(4): Title No.

SPRM(5): Chapter No.

SPRM(6): Program No.

SPRM(7): Cell No.

SPRM(8): Selected key information

SPRM(9): Navigation timer

SPRM(10): playback time information

SPRM(11): Mixing mode for karaoke

SPRM(12): Country information for parental

SPRM(13): Parental level

SPRM(14): Player setting value (video)

SPRM(15): Player setting value (audio)

SPRM(16): Language code for audio stream

SPRM(17): Language code for audio stream (extended)

SPRM(18): Language code for subtitle stream

SPRM(19): Language code for subtitle stream (extended)

SPRM(20): Player region code

SPRM(21): reserved

SPRM(22): reserved

SPRM(23): Playback state

SPRM(24): reserved

SPRM(25): reserved

SPRM(26): reserved

SPRM(27): reserved

SPRM(28): reserved

SPRM(29): reserved

SPRM(30): reserved

SPRM(31): reserved

Note that in the present embodiment, the programming functions of thevirtual player have been described as being based on JavaScript(registered trademark), Other programming functions may be used, such asB-Shell used in UNIX (registered trademark) OS or the like, Perl Script,and so forth, instead of JavaScript (registered trademark). In otherwords, the programming language in the present disclosure is notrestricted to JavaScript (registered trademark).

Example of Program

FIGS. 25 and 26 are diagrams illustrating an example of a program in theevent handler. FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example of a programin an event handler according to control of a menu screen having twoselection buttons.

The program to the left side in FIG. 25 is executed using a time eventat the beginning of cell (PlayList#1.Cell#1). “1” is set to GPRM(0) herefirst, which is one of the general parameters. GPRM(0) is used in thisprogram to identify a button that is selected. A state where the button[1] situated on the left side has been selected is held as the initialstate.

Next, drawing of a PNG is performed for each of button [1] and button[2] using “Draw”, which is a drawing function. The button [1] is drawnas a PNG image “1black.png” with coordinates (10, 200) as the origin(upper left end). The button [2] is drawn as a PNG image “2white.png”with coordinates (330, 200) as the origin (upper left end).

At the end of this cell, the program to the right side in FIG. 25 isexecuted using a time event. A Link function is used here to instructplaying again from the beginning of this cell.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example of a program in an eventhandler according to a user event for selection of a menu. In a casewhere any one of the remote controller keys of the “left” key, “right”key, or “OK” key has been pressed, the corresponding program is writtenin the event handler. In a case where the user has pressed a remotecontroller key, a user event is generated as described with reference toFIG. 21, and the event handler illustrated in FIG. 26 is activated.

The following branching processing is performed by this event handler,using the value of GPRM(0) identifying the selected button, and SPRM(8)identifying the selected remote controller key.

Condition 1) Case where button[1] is selected, and the selected key is“right” key

GPRM(0) is reset to 2, and the button in the selected state is changedto the button[2] at the right. The images of each of button[1] andbutton[2] are rewritten.

Condition 2) Case where the selected key is “OK” key, and button[1] isselected

Playback of playlist#2 is started.

Condition 3) Case where the selected key is “OK” key, and button[2] isselected

Playback of playlist#3 is started.

The program illustrated in FIG. 26 is interpreted and executed asdescribed above.

Player Processing Flow

The flow of processing at the player will be described with reference toFIGS. 27 through 30. FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating the basic flowof playback of AV data in a BD-ROM player. Upon a BD-ROM being inserted(S101), the BD-ROM player reads in and analyzes “BD.INFO” (S102), andreads in “BD.PROG” (S103). “BD.INFO” and “BD.PROG” are both temporarilystored in the management information recording memory 204, and analyzedby the scenario processor 305.

Next, the scenario processor 305 generates the first event, inaccordance with the first event (FirstEvent) information in the“BD.INFO” file (S104). The generated first event is received by theprogram processor 302, which executes the event handler corresponding tothis event (S105).

It is expected that the event handler corresponding to the first eventwill have recorded therein information specifying a playlist to playfirst. If no playlist to play first is instructed, the player hasnothing to play, and simply awaits a user event to accept (No in S201).

Upon receiving a remote controller operation from the user (Yes inS201), the UO manager 303 generates a UO event for the program processor302 (S202).

The program processor 302 determines whether or not the UO event is dueto the menu key (S203), and in the case of the menu key (Yes in S203),hands the UO event to the scenario processor 305, and the scenarioprocessor 305 generates a user event (S204). The program processor 302executes the event handler corresponding to the generated user event(S205).

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing in a BD-ROMplayer from starting to play a playlist until ending the VOB. Asdescribed earlier, playback of a playlist is started by the first eventhandler or global event handler (S301). The scenario processor 305 readsin and analyzes the playlist “XXX.PL” as necessary information to play aplaylist that is the object of playback (S302), and reads in the programinformation “XXX.PROG” corresponding to the playlist (S303).

Next, the scenario processor 305 starts playback of the cell, based onthe cell information registered in the playlist (S304). Cell playbackmeans that a request is issued from the scenario processor 305 to thepresentation controller 306, and the presentation controller 306 startsAV data playback (S305).

Once playback of AV data is started, the presentation controller 306reads in the VOB information file “YYY.VOBI” corresponding to the cellbeing played (S402) and analyzes it. The presentation controller 306identifies the VOBU for which to start playback and the address thereof,using the time map, and instructs the drive controller 317 of thereadout address. The drive controller 317 reads out the relevant VOBdata “YYY.VOB” (S403).

The VOB data that has been read out is sent to the decoder, and playbackis started (S404). VOB playback is continued until the playback sectionof this VOB ends (S405), and upon ending, if there is a next cell (Yesin S406), transitions to playback of Cell (S304). In a case where thereis no next cell (No in S406), the processing relating to playback ends.

FIGS. 29A and 29B are flowcharts illustrating the flow of eventprocessing from after having started AV data playback. FIG. 29A is aflowchart illustrating the flow of processing relating to a time eventin a BD-ROM player.

Note that the BD-ROM player is an event-driven player model. Whenplayback of a playlist is started, the time event related, user eventrelated, and subtitle display related event processing processes areeach activated, and event processing is executed in parallel.

When playback of playlist playback is started at the BD-ROM player(S501), confirmation is made that playlist playback has not ended(S502), and the scenario processor 305 confirms whether the time eventgeneration time has arrived (S503).

In a case where the time event generation time has arrived (Yes inS503), the scenario processor 305 generates a time event (S504). Theprogram processor 302 receives the time event, and executes the eventhandler (S505).

In a case where the time event generation time has not arrived (No inS503), and in a case where execution of the event handler has ended, theprocessing after confirmation of end of the playlist playback (S502) isrepeated.

In a case where confirmation is made that the playlist playback hasended (Yes in S502), the time event related processing is force-quit.

FIG. 29B is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing relating toa user event in a BD-ROM player. When playback of playlist playback isstarted at the BD-ROM player (S601), confirmation is made that playlistplayback has not ended (No in S602), and the UO manager 303 confirmswhether a UO has been accepted.

In a case where there has been a UO accepted (Yes in S603), the UOmanager 303 generates a UO event (S604). The program processor 302accepts the UO event, and confirms whether the UO event is a menu callor not.

In the case of a menu call (Yes in S605), the program processor 302causes the scenario processor 305 to generate an event (S607), and theprogram processor 302 executes the event handler (S608).

On the other hand, in a case where determination is made that the UOevent is not a menu call (No in S605), this means that the UO event isan event due to a cursor key or the “OK” key. In this case, the scenarioprocessor 305 determines whether or not the current time is within thevalid period of the user event. If within the valid period (Yes in S606)the scenario processor 305 generates a user event (S607), and theprogram processor 302 executes the relevant event handler (S608).

In a case where there is no UO accepted (No in S603), the current timeis not within the valid period of the user event (No in S606), or theexecution of the event handler has ended, the processing followingconfirmation of the end of the playlist playback (S602) is repeated.

Upon confirmation of the end of the playlist playback (Yes in S602), theuser event related processing is force-quit.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing of subtitledata in the BD-ROM player. When playback of playlist playback is startedat the BD-ROM player (S701), confirmation is made that playlist playbackhas not ended (No in S702), and the scenario processor 305 confirmswhether the subtitle display start time has arrived or not. In a casewhere the subtitle display start time has arrived (Yes in S703), thescenario processor 305 instructs the presentation controller 306 to drawthe subtitle, and the presentation controller 306 instructs the imageprocessor 311 to draw the subtitle. The image processor 311 follows theinstruction to draw the subtitle on the image plane 209 (S704).

Also, in a case where the subtitle display start time has not arrived(No in S703), confirmation is made whether the subtitle display end timehas arrived. In a case where the subtitle display end time has arrived(Yes in S705), the presentation controller 306 instructs the imageprocessor 311 to erase the subtitle.

The image processor 311 erases the subtitle that has been drawn, inaccordance with the instruction (S706).

In a case where the subtitle drawing by the image processor 311 (S704)has ended, a case where erasing of the subtitle by the image processor311 (S706) has ended, and a case where determination is made that thesubtitle display end time has not arrived (No in S705), the processingfollowing configuration of end of the playlist playback (S702) isrepeated.

Also, upon confirmation of the end of the playlist playback (Yes inS702), the subtitle related processing is force-quit.

According to the above operations, the BD-ROM player performs basicprocessing relating to BD-ROM playback based on user instructions or theBD management information recorded in the BD-ROM, and so forth.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.The second embodiment is content relating to recording or playinghigh-luminance (HDR: High Dynamic Range) video information with a BD.The second embodiment is basically based on the first embodiment, so thefollowing description will be made primarily with regard to portionsthat are expanded in the second embodiment or portions that aredifferent.

FIGS. 31A and 31B illustrate a method of sending high-luminance metadatausing a video encoding format such as MPEG-4 AVC (also known as H264) orHEVC (also known as H265). Here, a unit made up of a picture referenceconfiguration equivalent to a Group Of Pictures (GOP) used to improverandom accessibility in MPEG-2 Video is used as a GOP in MPEG-4 AVC orHEVC, thereby encoding multiple pictures that have been grouped.

FIG. 31A indicates the encoding order of multiple Network AbstractionLayer (NAL) units in the first picture (first access unit) in the GOP.In the first picture in the GOP, there is a run of NALs of each of oneAU delimiter, one SPS, one or more PPS, 0 or multiple SEI messages, andone or more Slices making up the picture, followed if necessary by theNALs of Filler data, End of sequence, and End of stream.

In the SEI message (SEI(s)), Buffering period SEI message is followed byseveral other SEI messages if necessary. For example, several SEImessages including (1) a User data unregistered SEI message (GOP)indicating the reference relationship of pictures within this GOP, (2) aUser data unregistered SEI message (CC) indicating the Closed Captioninginformation of this picture, (3) a User data unregistered SEI message(HDRb) including standard and static high-luminance metadata indicatingthe luminesce range such as the maximum luminance or minimum luminancein all of the pictures in this video sequence (VOB), (4) a User dataunregistered SEI message (HDRe) including dynamic high-luminancemetadata that is more detailed than the SEI message (HDRb), so as toindicate the luminesce range such as the maximum luminance or minimumluminance in all of the pictures in this picture or GOP, and so forth,are encoded in this order.

The aforementioned SEI message (HDRb) or SEI message (HDRe) istransmitted along with the video information. This is to transmitinformation relating to luminesce used at the time of mastering, and togive information regarding actually what level of brightness (cd/m²) theluminesce value (Y) for each pixel obtained after the video informationis decoded.

For example, the SEI message (HDRb) or SEI message (HDRe) includecorrelation information between luminance that the pixels have andluminesce at the time of mastering, such as, upon having decoded thevideo, the luminance of a pixel having a luminesce value (Y) or 1000 was5000 cd/m² when mastering. In a case where the maximum luminance (cd/m²)that can be expressed by a TV connected to the player is acquired,information for changing the dynamic range of the entire picture in theluminesce direction may be carried by the aforementioned SEI message(HDRb) or SEI message (HDRe).

The SEI message (HDRb) is an SEI message transmitted in increments ofpictures or increments of GOPs to indicate an HDR video sequence, andtransmits information relating to static luminance information of theoverall video sequence (VOB). An HDR video sequence as used here means avideo sequence where a SEI message (HDRb) is recorded.

The SEI message (HDRe) that transmits information relating to dynamicluminesce that is more detailed does not have to be recorded in the HDRvideo sequence, and an HDR video sequence does not have to have even onetherein. In a case where an SEI message (HDRe) exists, it is always anSEI message encoded immediately after an SEI message (HDRb),transmitting information relating to luminance in increments of picturesor increments of GOPs.

FIG. 31B illustrates the encoding order of multiple NAL units in apicture other than the first picture in the GOP (non-first access unit).In a picture that is not the first picture in the GOP, There is a run ofNALs of each of one AU delimiter, 0 or one PPS, 0 or multiple SEImessages, and one or more Slices making up the picture, followed ifnecessary by the NALs of Filler data, End of sequence, and End ofstream.

The SEI message (HDRb) or SEI message (HDRe) each store the aboveinformation, and is given to each picture according to the methodillustrated in FIGS. 31A and 31B. In a case of transmitting informationrelating to luminesce in increments of GOPs, the SEI message (HDRb) andSEI message (HDRe) are both only given to the first picture in the GOP,and are not given to pictures that are not the first in the GOP at all.

FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating a method of multiplexing an HDR streamincluding up to an SEI message (HDRe) by MPEG-2 TS. Note that in thepresent embodiment, the term sequence may mean the same as a stream, ormay be part of a stream. After storing one picture (one frame or onevideo access unit) in one packetized elementary stream (PES) packet toput the HDR video stream into a PES, data in the PES packets are dividedand stored in order in the payload of packet identifier (PID)=X TSpackets.

In the case of the method illustrated in FIG. 32, the HDR video sequenceincluding up to the SEI message (HDRe) which is the PES packets ofstream_id=0xE1 is divided and stored in order in the TS packets of thesame PID (PID=X). Note that in a case of transmitting information of theSEI message (HDRe) at the time of outputting an HDR video sequence byHDMI (registered copyright) as in the method illustrated in FIG. 32,there are cases where the processing for searching for the SEI message(HDRe) from the entire video sequence may become sluggish.

FIG. 33 is a diagram for describing another method for multiplexing anHDR video stream including up to an SEI message (HDRe) by MPEG-2 TS. Onepicture (one frame or one video access unit) is stored in one PESpacket, to put the HDR video stream into a PES, and data in the PESpackets is divided and stored in order in the payloads of the TS packetsof both PID=X and Z.

In the case of the method illustrated in FIG. 33, the HDR video sequencewhich is the PES packets of stream_id=0xE1 is divided and stored inorder in the TS packets of PID=X, and just the SEI message (HDRe) isstored alone in the TS packet of PID=Z. When the SEI message (HDRe)information is transmitted, only the SEI message (HDRe) is stored in theTS packet where PID=Z, as in the method illustrated in FIG. 33.Accordingly, the processing for searching for the SEI message (HDRe) islight.

Decoding just the HDR video sequence transmitted by TS packets of PID=Xis easy. However, in order to perform even higher luminance videoplayback including up to the SEI message (HDRe) needs additionalprocessing of transmitting the TS packets of both PID=X and Z to thesame transport buffer (TB, an upstream buffer used in the T-STD model ofthe MPEG-2 system).

FIG. 34 is a diagram for describing another method for multiplexing anHDR video stream including up to an SEI message (HDRe) by MPEG-2 TS. Onepicture (one frame or one video access unit) is divided and stored ineach of three PES packets, to put the video stream into a PES.Thereafter, each of the three PES packets are divided as necessary, andstored in order in the payload of the TS packets of PID=X.

In the case of the method illustrated in FIG. 34, the HDR video sequencewhich is two PES packets of stream_id=0xE1 is stored in the TS packetsof PID=X. Just the SEI message (HDRe) is stored alone in a TS packet ofthe same PID=X in the same stream_id=0xE1 but as a PES packet wherePES_priority=0.

At the time of outputting HDR video by HDMI (registered trademark), uponthe information of the SEI message (HDRe) being transmitted according tothe method illustrated in FIG. 34, the PES packet where stream_id=0xE1and PES_priority=0 is searched from each TS packet of PID=X.Accordingly, the processing for searching for the SEI message (HDRe) isnot as light as the method illustrated in FIG. 33.

However, there is little difference between decoding just the HDR videosequence transmitted by TS packets of PID=X and decoding not only theHDR video sequence but the SEI message (HDRe) included as well, so themethod illustrated in FIG. 34 is realizable.

Note that the PES_priority value does not have to be this combination;the same effect can be yielded by an arrangement where only the PESpacket storing the SEI message (HDRe) has a value of PES_priority=1.

FIG. 35 is a diagram for describing another method for multiplexing anHDR stream including up to an SEI message (HDRe) by MPEG-2 TS. Thedifference as to the method illustrated in FIG. 34 is that thetransport_priority of the TS packet storing the PES packet containingthe SEI message (HDRe) is 0 in the method illustrated in FIG. 35.

At the time of outputting HDR video by HDMI (registered trademark), uponthe information of the SEI message (HDRe) being transmitted according tothe method illustrated in FIG. 35, the SEI message (HDRe) is analyzedfrom the TS packet where PID=X and transport_priority=0. Accordingly,the amount of processing to search for the SEI message (HDRe) is lightin the same way as the method illustrated in FIG. 33, so the methodillustrated in FIG. 35 is realizable.

Also, in this case, there is little difference between decoding just theHDR video sequence and decoding not only the HDR video sequence but alsothe SEI message (HDRe) included as well, so the method illustrated inFIG. 35 is realizable. For example, the PID demultiplexer of the TSdecoder separates the stream based on the transport_priority value.Accordingly, a decoder that is not compatible with SEI message (HDRe)and makes the video high-luminance using information up to the SEImessage (HDRb) can easily discard the TS packet including the SEImessage (HDRe) by the aforementioned PID demultiplexer.

Note that the transport_priority value does not have to be thiscombination; the same effect can be yielded by an arrangement where onlythe TS packet storing the SEI message (HDRe) has a value oftransport_priority=1.

FIG. 36 is a diagram for describing another method for multiplexing anHDR stream including up to an SEI message (HDRe) by MPEG-2 TS. Themethod illustrated in FIG. 36 uses two types of PID as in the methodillustrated in FIG. 33, and configures the PES packets as in the methodillustrated in FIGS. 34 and 35. This method illustrated in FIG. 36 hasboth the same advantages and disadvantages as the method illustrated inFIG. 33.

FIG. 37 is a diagram for describing another method for multiplexing anHDR stream including up to an SEI message (HDRe) by MPEG-2 TS. Themethod illustrated in FIG. 37 stores the SEI message (HDRe) in a PESpacket where PES_priority=0, which is a separate PES packet from the PESpacket storing the SEI message (HDRb) and so forth. After storing of theslice NAL units, the PES packet where PES_priority=0 is multiplexed atanother TS packet where PID=Z, separate from the TS packet where PID=X.The position of multiplexing of the SEI message (HDRe) is immediatelyafter the picture data. Accordingly, the method illustrated in FIG. 37stores the HDR video sequence up to the SEI message (HDRb) in one PESpacket. Other than this point, the method illustrated in FIG. 37 hasboth the same advantages and disadvantages as the method illustrated inFIG. 33.

FIG. 38 is a diagram for describing a method for multiplexing anenhanced video sequence, which is a different video sequence from an HDRvideo sequence, by MPEG-2 TS, instead of an SEI message (HDRe). Themethod illustrated in FIG. 38 transmits an enhanced video sequence(Enhancement layer video sequence) as enhancement video informationregarding an HDR video sequence (Base layer video sequence with userdata unregistered SEI message (HDRb)), instead of transmittinghigh-luminance enhancement metadata by SEI message (HDRe).

For example, an enhanced picture of Enhancement frame PES#n included inthe enhanced video sequence is added to the base picture of Base framePES#n included in the above-described video sequence. Accordingly,high-luminance enhancement of the HDE video sequence can be performedmore accurately while using even more data than the SEI message. Now,corresponding pictures may be correlated with each other by having thesame PTS. For example, correlation indicating that “PTS#b1 of basepicture”=“PTS#e1 of enhanced picture” is illustrated.

The above-described base video sequence and enhanced video sequence aremultiplied in the MPEG-2 TS as two entirely different video sequences inPES packets with different PIDs.

In order to correctly specify the pair of the base video sequence andenhanced video sequence, the program map table (PMT) packet may expressthe pair using descriptor( ). For example, this method illustrated inFIG. 38 describes HDR_pairing_descriptor( ) in the PMT packet. TheHDR_pairing_descriptor( ) contains the number of pairs in this MPEG-2 TS(number_of_HDR_pairs), and the PID values that the base video sequenceand enhanced video sequence use, for each pair. The PID value used bythe base video sequence is indicated by base_layer_video_sequence_PID,and the PID value used by the enhanced video sequence is indicated byenhancement_layer_video_sequence_PID. Describing theHDR_pairing_descriptor( ) in this way enables a correct combination ofpairs to be indicated.

FIG. 39 illustrates a subtitle video stream structure making up onedisplay unit. A subtitle video stream that is one display unit is calleda Presentation Set, and is a structure that starts with PM data and endswith an END. The individual data segments will be described below.

PM (Presentation Manager) is a data segment that is always situated atthe start of each Presentation Set in a subtitle video stream, andincludes the following data fields.

seg_type represents the type of the segment. In a case whereseg_type=0x01 as illustrated in FIG. 39, this means that the datasegment in which it is included is a PM.

presen_set_state identifies whether the Presentation Set is a typeincluding all data necessary for subtitle display, as one display unitof the subtitles, or is a type storing just partial update data, such asonly changing the display color.

bitmap_id_ref indicates the bitmap identification information(bitmap_id) of the subtitle video that this Presentation Set displays.

window_id_ref indicates display region identification information(window_id) that this Presentation Set uses.

bitmap_pos_x and bitmap_pos_y indicate the position of the upper-leftcoordinates of the bitmap specified by bitmap_id_ref.

palette_id_ref indicates the identification information (palette_id) ofthe display color index color table that this Presentation Set uses.

palette_update_judge indicates whether or not this Presentation Set is aPresentation Set of a type that only updates the display color indexcolor table. In a case where palette_update_judge=1, the display regionand bitmap themselves are the same as the immediately previousPresentation Set, and only the display color index color table changes.Accordingly, display control of designs where the color graduallychanges, such as in karaoke, for example, can be realized withoutresending the bitmap that has a large data size.

WIN (WINdow) is a data segment situated immediately after PM, and aplurality thereof may be arrayed. WIN is a data segment instructing adisplay region used by the Presentation Set, and includes the followingdata fields.

seg_type=0x02 indicates that this data segment is a WIN.

window_id is information for identifying the display region specified bythis WIN.

window_pos_x and window_pos indicate the upper-left coordinate values ofthis display region. The window_size_x and window_size_y indicate thesize of the display region in the horizontal direction (x) and verticaldirection (y), in pixel increments.

Note that the reason why the display region is sectioned in this way isto narrow down the display region so as to speed up the refresh rateeven under conditions where the decoder transmission band is limited.

PAL (PALette) is a data segment situated immediately after WIN, and aplurality thereof may be arrayed. PAL is a data segment storing displaycolors (index colors) used by the Presentation Set, and includes thefollowing data fields.

seg_type=0x03 indicates that this data segment is a PAL.

palette_id is information for identifying this display color index colortable.

palette_version indicates a version (whether or not there has been anupdate) of PALs having the same palette_id. This palette_version can beused to update only palette_version while palette_id is fixed, in aPresentation Set where only the display color index color table isupdated (palette_update_judge=1).

color_index indicates the color index No. (e.g., from 0 to 255).

Y, Cy, Cb, and alpha indicate color information that the relevant colorindex No. (color_index) actually means. This color information is storedas each of Y (luminance information), Cr/Cb (color-differenceinformation), and alpha (transparency information). This identifies thecolor corresponding to the index color No. (color_index) specified byBMP( ). A maximum of 256 colors are registered in this color index byloop processing.

BMP (BitMaP) is a data segment situated immediately after PAL, and aplurality thereof may be arrayed. For example, in a case where multiplesubtitle videos are displayed at the same time, multiple WINs, PALs, andBMPs will be arrayed. BMP stores the bitmap information of the subtitlevideo that the Presentation Set stores.

seg_type=0x04 indicates that this data segment is a BMP.

bitmap_id is identification information of this bitmap videoinformation.

bitmap_version indicates a version (whether updated or not) of thisbitmap.

bitmap_size_x and bitmap_size_y describe the size of this bitmap in thex and y directions when rendered, in pixel increments.

bitmap_image_data( ) stores data compression-coded data of this bitmapvideo.

Thus, a Presentation Set, which is one subtitle display unit, is anelementary stream for forming data segments of information necessary forone subtitle display or subtitle update, and transferring. A subtitlestream is an array of multiple Presentation Sets to update a subtitle.

FIG. 40 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship whendisplaying subtitles described in FIG. 39. A plane in which the subtitleis displayed has the upper left as the origin, with x and y coordinateaxes extending to the right and downwards, respectively. The displayregion (WIN) is placed within this plane, and a bitmap image (BMP) isplaced within the display region.

FIGS. 41A through 41C are diagrams for describing management information(management information file) described with reference to FIG. 5 and thelike, and the content thereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 41A, the BD.INFO file includes DiscInfo( ) thatdescribes representative attribute information of the entire disc, andExtension( ) that is an extension data region of BD.INFO. The Extension() includes Disc_Type( ) and HDR_meta( ).

Disc_Type( ) is extension information indicating physical properties ofthe disc in which this is recorded. Disc types can be identified by3-bit information indicated in the disc_type field in Disc_Type( ) asfollows.

disc_type: 3 bits (bslbf)

-   -   010b: a disc that has recording density of 25 GB/layer, and        requires readout at 72 Mbps    -   011b: a disc that has recording density of 25 GB/layer, and        requires readout at 92 Mbps    -   100b: a disc that has recording density of 33 GB/layer, and        requires readout at 92 Mbps    -   101b: a disc that has recording density of 33 GB/layer, and        requires readout at 122 Mbps    -   110b: a disc that has recording density of 33 GB/layer, and        requires readout at 144 Mbps

HDR_meta( ) in the BD.INFO file describes metadata related to HDR forthis disc.

Also, as illustrated in FIG. 41B, the XXX.PL file includes, in additionto the above-described information, a SubPLList( ) describing playbackcontrol information of enhanced video stream (Enhancement layer videostream), within the CellList. HDR_meta( ) and CombiExt( ) can also berecorded within Extension( ) that is an extended data region of theXXX.PL file. The HDR_meta( ) in the XXX.PL file describes metadatarelated to HDR for this playlist.

Also stored within Extension( ) in the playlist file is CombiExt( ).CombiExt( ) has the same data structure and semantics as the Combi( )listed in later-described FIG. 42B, and is information indicating acombination of elementary streams that can be played at the same time.Registered in CombiExt( ) are video streams within standard-luminancerange (hereinafter also described as SDR video stream), and subtitlestreams of standard-luminance range that can be played together with theSDR video streams (hereinafter also described as SDR subtitle stream),audio streams, and so forth.

Also, as illustrated in FIG. 41C, the YYY.VOBI file can recordinformation indicating the usage of this VOB (VOB_type), informationindicating the greatest bitrate of the system stream (SysRate),attribute information of video streams (Video#0( ) and so forth),attribute information of audio streams (Audio#0( ) and so forth), andattribute information of subtitle streams (Subtitle#0( ) and so forth).TMAP( ) where random access points are listed, can also be recorded inthe YYY.VOBI file. HDR_meta( ) and TMAPExt( ) can also be recorded inExtension( ) that is an extension data region of YYY.VOBI. The HDR_meta() in YYY.VOBI file describes metadata related to HDR for this VOBstream.

TMAPExt( ) as the same data structure and the same semantics as TMAP( )that is random-access table information illustrated in FIGS. 13 through15. TMAPExt( ) stores random access point information for astandard-luminance (SDR) video stream.

The values stored in VOB_types have the following meanings.

In a case where VOB_type=0x01 (Main TS for movie application), thismeans that the VOB where this is described is a VOB used for videoplayback in a normal movie or the like (MPEG-2 TS stream).

In a case where VOB_type=0x10 (Sub TS for Enhancement layer videostream), this means that the VOB where this is described is only usablewith a SubPL where enhanced video streams have been multiplexed (MPEG-2TS stream).

FIGS. 42A through 42C are diagrams illustrating the data structure ofthe database file described in FIGS. 41A through 41C. As illustrated inFIG. 42A, Cell#n( ) is information of the n'th Cell. Cell#n( ) is madeup of identification information of a VOB stream file reference in theCell#n( ) (VOBName), Closed Captioning information (CC), playback starttime information of this Cell#n( ) (In), playback end time informationof this Cell#n( ) (Out), Combi( ) that indicates a combination ofelementary streams that can be played at the same time within thisCell#n( ) and so forth.

Described in Combi( ) are various types of encoded attribute informationfor each elementary stream permitted as combinations that can be playedat the same time in Cell#n( ) including this Combi.

As illustrated in FIG. 42B, if a permitted elementary stream is a videostream, described in Combi( ) are identification information such as thePID of that video stream (VideoPID), encoded attribute information suchas resolution and aspect (VideoFormat), and so forth.

If a permitted elementary stream is an enhanced video stream such asillustrated in FIG. 38, described in Combi( ) are identificationinformation such as the PID of that enhanced video sequence(EnhVideoPID), bit depth information (EnhVideoBitDepth), and maximumluminance information (EnhVideoMaxLum), and so forth.

If a permitted elementary stream is an audio stream, described in Combi() are identification information such as the PID of that audio stream(AudioPID), encoding format (Coding), number of channels (Ch.), and soforth.

If a permitted elementary stream is a subtitle stream, described inCombi( ) are identification information such as the PID of that subtitlestream (SubtitlePID), subtitle language information (Language), and soforth.

As illustrated in FIG. 42C, SubPL#n( ) is information specifying an n'thadditional sub-playback path. SubPL#n( ) is, for example, informationspecifying an enhanced video stream to be played together as acombination with an HDR video stream.

SubPL_type information included in SubPL#n( ) is information indicatingthe type of playback method of the HDR video stream and enhanced videostream. This is used to identify synchronous/asynchronous, the number ofsystem streams used for playback (1 or 2), and so forth.

SubPL_type=0x0A (Synchronous Enhancement Layer Video SubPL in Sub TS) isa type of playback method where an HDR video stream is read out from oneof two system streams (MPEG-2 TS), an enhanced video stream is read outfrom the other, and the streams that have been read out aresynchronously played with each other. Note that “synchronous” here meansa fixed relationship where a certain picture in the HDR video stream isalways only played at the same time with a certain picture in theenhanced video stream. SubPL_type=0x0B (Synchronous Enhancement LayerVideo SubPL in Main TS) is a type of playback method where an HDR videostream and an enhanced video stream within a single MPEG-2 TS aresynchronously played.

SubCellList information is information where SubCell information hasbeen bundled. SubCell information includes the file name (VOBName) of aVOB file that references one continuous section (SubCell) including anenhanced video stream, SubCell start time information (In), SubCell endtime information (Out), and identification information of a cell(CellNum) played at the same time. This SubPL#n( ) enables the player tobe instructed which playback model and which files to use to play an HDRvideo stream and enhanced video stream.

FIG. 43 is a diagram for describing the meaning of each of the fields inmanagement information in a case where SubPL_type=0x0A. In theSubPL_type=0x0A playback model, two system stream files (MPEG-2 TS) areused to read out at the same time the HDR video stream (HDRb) from theMain TS and the enhanced video stream thereof (Enh. Layer Video) fromthe Sub TS, and play.

A playback section from Cell#0.In to Cell#0.Out in the HDR video stream(HDRb) is played as the playback section specified in Cell#0.Synchronously with this playback, a continuous section from SubCell#0.Into SubCell#0.Out in the enhanced video stream is played as thecontinuous section specified in SubCell#0. Accordingly, high-luminancevideo information that has higher luminance and higher quantizationprecision than the HDR video stream (HDRb) decoded at a base decoder 401illustrated in FIG. 45, which will be described later, is output.

In the SubPL_type=0x0A playback model, two video streams are playedsynchronously, so Cell#0.In and SubCell#0.In are the same, andCell#0.Out and SubCell#0.Out are the same. Note that Cell#0.In,Cell#0.Out, SubCell#0.In and SubCell#0.Out are each points-in-timeexpressed by a PTS time axis.

Now, VOB_type=0x10 (Sub TS for Enh. Layer Video) is only used for theplayback mode of this SubPL_type=0x0A (Synchronous Enhancement LayerVideo SubPL in Sub TS).

FIG. 44 is a diagram for describing the meaning of each of the fields inmanagement information in a case where SubPL_type=0x0B. In theSubPL_type=0x0B playback model, the HDR video stream (HDRb) and theenhanced video stream thereof are multiplexed in one system stream file(MPEG-2 TS), and these streams are played at the same time. Thus, in theSubPL_type=0x0B playback model, the base video stream and enhanced videostream are multiplexed in the same transport stream. Accordingly, thebase video stream and enhanced video stream can be clearly correlated,and video information having a wide dynamic range can be played in anappropriate manner.

Playback section from Cell#0.In to Cell#0.Out in the HDR video stream(HDRb) is played as the playback section specified in Cell#0.Synchronously with this playback, the continuous section fromSubCell#0.In to SubCell#0.Out in the enhanced video stream is played asthe continuous section specified in SubCell#0. Accordingly,high-luminance video information that has higher luminance and higherquantization precision than the HDR video stream (HDRb) decoded at thebase decoder 401 illustrated in FIG. 45, which will be described later,is output.

Thus, in the SubPL_type=0x0B playback model, two video streams aremultiplexed in the same system stream file (Main TS that is MPEG-2 TS),and are played synchronously. Accordingly, Cell#0.In and SubCell#0.Inare the same, and Cell#0.Out and SubCell#0.Out are the same.

That is to say, The PlayList that is a management information filestores a first section included in the playback path of the base videostream, and a second section included in the playback path of theenhanced video stream, mutually correlated with each other. The playbacktime of the first section and the second section is the same.Specifically, a playback start time of the first section and a playbackstart time of the second section, that are the same time as each other,and further a playback end time of the first section and a playback endtime of the second section, that are the same time as each other, aredescribed in the PlayList. Accordingly, the base video stream andenhanced video stream can be appropriately synchronized and played.

FIG. 45 is a diagram for describing a decoder model of an HDR videostream according to the present embodiment. The playback deviceaccording to the present embodiment has a decoder system 400. Thedecoder system 400 is a video playback unit that reads out, from a BD,video streams such as the base video stream and enhanced video stream,and graphics data indicating subtitles and so forth, and playing, basedon the above-described management information files.

The decoder system 400 has a base decoder (Base Dec) 401, an enhanceddecoder (Enh. Dec) 402, a base plane (Base plane (HDRb)) 403, anenhanced plane (Enh. plane) 404, an enhanced plane (HDRe plane) 405, aBase+Enh. Plane 406, a subtitle decoder (Sub. Dec) 407, a subtitle plane(Subtitle Plane (8 bit)) 408, a graphics processor (GP) 409, ahigh-luminance subtitle plane (Subtitle Plane (HDRb/e)) 410, and ahigh-luminance subtitle plane (Subtitle Plane(Base+Enh.)) 411.

An HDR video stream containing an SEI message (HDRb) is decoded at abase decoder (Base Dec) 401. The high-luminance video informationgenerated by decoding the HDR video stream is rendered at a base plane(Base plane (HDRb)) 403. The basic luminance information (themaximum/minimum luminesce values of the overall contents) and so forthincluded in the SEI message (HDRb) is transmitted along with thehigh-luminance video information, and output to an external video outputI/F such as HDMI (registered trademark).

The decoder system 400 that is a playback device compatible with SEImessages (HDRe) adds luminance enhancement information of the SEImessage (HDRe) to the high-luminance video information of the base plane(Base plane (HDRb)) 403, and renders the enhanced high-luminance videoinformation on an enhanced plane 405. The enhanced high-luminance videoinformation, that has had up to this SEI message (HDRe) added is outputto an external video output I/F such as HDMI (registered trademark),along with additional luminance information and the like (by maximumluminance value and minimum luminance value in increments of scenes)included in the SEI message (HDRe).

The decoder system 400 that is a playback device compatible with theenhanced video stream described above decodes the enhanced video streamat the enhanced decoder (Enh. Dec) 402. The enhanced video informationgenerated by this decoding is rendered to an enhanced plane (Enh. plane)404. The decoder system 400 composites this enhanced video informationwith the high-luminance video information at the base plane (Base plane(HDRb)) 403, so as to composite videos that have the same PTS. Theenhanced high-luminance video information obtained by this compositingis rendered to a Base+Enh. Plane 406. The decoder system 400 outputsthis enhanced high-luminance video information to an external videooutput I/F such as HDMI (registered trademark), along with basicluminance information transmitted by the SEI message (HDRb), luminanceenhancement information stored in the enhanced video stream, and soforth.

Now, graphics data to be superimposed on the video, e.g., a subtitlestream, is decoded at the subtitle decoder (Sub. Dec) 407, and therebyexpressed in 8-bit index color (256 colors). The subtitles that are thedecoded subtitle stream are rendered at the subtitle plane (SubtitlePlane (8 bit)) 408. The graphics processor (GP) 409 converts the 8-bitlevel YCrCb expressing the subtitles into 10-bit level YCrCb, andfurther converts the luminance of the subtitles from standard-luminanceto high-luminance (matching the high-luminance video information orenhanced high-luminance video information). The high-luminancesubtitles, that are subtitles converted to high-luminance, are renderedto the high-luminance subtitle plane (Subtitle Plane (HDRb/e)) 410. Thehigh-luminance subtitles rendered to the high-luminance subtitle plane410 are then composited with the picture of the base plane (Base plane(HDRb)) 403 or enhanced plane (HDRe plane) 405, having the same time,and output.

Also, in a case where there is enhanced high-luminance video informationat the Base+Enh. Plane 406, or a SubPL_type=0x0A or 0x0B PlayList beingplayed, the graphics processor (GP) 409 converts the 8-bit level YCrCbexpressing the subtitles into 12-bit level YCrCb. Further, the graphicsprocessor (GP) 409 converts the luminance of the subtitles fromstandard-luminance to higher luminance (matching the enhancedhigh-luminance video information generated using the enhanced videostream), for superimposing the subtitles in accordance with the enhancedvideo stream. The high-luminance subtitles, that are subtitles convertedto higher luminance, are rendered to the high-luminance subtitle plane(Subtitle Plane(Base+Enh.)) 411. The high-luminance subtitles renderedto the high-luminance subtitle plane (Subtitle Plane(Base+Enh.)) 411 arethen composited with the picture at the Base+Enh. Plane 406, having thesame time, and output.

Now, the graphics processor (GP) 409 acquires an index color table(CLUT) for subtitles rendered to the subtitle plane (Subtitle Plane (8bit)) 408, from the subtitle decoder (Sub. Dec) 407. This index colortable (CLUT) has only one CLUT of a CLUT for SDR or a CLUT for HDRmultiplexed, depending on whether the video information composited withthe subtitles is an SDR video stream or an HDR stream. Although thereare multiple HDR types for video information, only one type of CLUT forsubtitle stream is provided for HDR.

FIG. 46 is a diagram illustrating a registration method of streams to adatabase file. FIG. 46 is a table showing where what sort of informationis registered and managed in accordance with the combination of videostreams, with regard to the five data blocks of Combi( ), CombiExt( ),and SubPL( ) that are stored in the playlist file, and TMAP( ) andTMAPExt( ) that are stored in the VOBI file. Note that EL in FIG. 46indicates an enhanced video stream. HDR in FIG. 46 indicates HDRb orHDRe.

In a case where only an SDR video stream is registered in a playlistfile, the SDR video stream, the SDR subtitle stream (subtitle streamhaving only PAL for SDR) superimposed thereupon, and audio stream areregistered in Combi( ). Random access information of the SDR videostream is registered in the TMAP( ).

In the same way, in a case where only an HDR video stream is registeredin a playlist file, the HDR video stream, the HDR subtitle stream(subtitle stream having only PAL for HDR) superimposed thereupon, andaudio stream are registered in Combi( ). Random access information ofthe HDR video stream is registered in the TMAP( ).

Next, a case where the two of an HDR video stream and an SDR videostream are registered in a single playlist will be described. In thiscase, the HDR video stream, the HDR subtitle stream superimposedthereupon, and audio stream are registered in Combi( ). That is to say,first playback control information is stored in the Combi( ) in which isinstructed playing of the combination of the HDR video stream and HDRsubtitle stream.

On the other hand, random access information of the HDR video stream isregistered in the TMAP( ). That is to say, random access informationindicating positions of independently-decodable pictures included in theHDR video stream (hereinafter also described as first random accessinformation) is stored in the TMAP( ).

Additionally, the SDR video stream, the SDR subtitle stream superimposedthereupon, and audio stream are registered in CombiExt( ). That is tosay, second playback control information is stored in the CombiExt( ) inwhich is instructed playing of the combination of the SDR video streamand SDR subtitle stream.

Random access information of the SDR video stream is registered in theTMAPExt( ). That is to say, random access information indicatingpositions of independently-decodable pictures included in the SDR videostream (hereinafter also described as second random access information)is stored in the TMAPExt( ).

Next, a case where the two of an HDR video stream and an enhanced videostream (written as EL in FIG. 46) are registered in a single playlistwill be described. In this case, the HDR video stream, the HDR subtitlestream superimposed thereupon, and audio stream are registered in Combi(). Random access information of the HDR video stream and random accessinformation of the enhanced video stream are registered in the TMAP( ).That is to say, the first random access information and random accessinformation indicating the playback time of pictures included in theenhanced video stream (hereinafter also described as third random accessinformation) are stored in the TMAP( ).

Further, playback control information of the enhanced video stream isregistered in SubPL( ). That is to say, third playback controlinformation specifying an enhanced video stream to enhance the luminancerange of the HDR video steam, is stored in the SubPL( ). This is thepattern described with reference to FIGS. 43 and 44.

Next, a case where the three of an HDR video stream, aluminance-enhanced video stream, and an SDR video stream are registeredin a single playlist will be described. In this case, the HDR videostream, the HDR subtitle stream to be superimposed thereon, and audiostream are registered in Combi( ). Random access information of the HDRvideo stream and random access information of the enhanced video streamare stored in the TMAP( ).

Further, playback control information of the enhanced video stream isregistered in SubPL( ). Additionally, the SDR video stream, the SDRsubtitle stream to be superimposed thereon, and audio stream areregistered in the CombiExt( ). Random access information of the SDRvideo stream is registered in TMAPExt( ).

Next, a case where the two of an SDR video stream and an enhanced videostream are registered in a single playlist will be described. In thiscase, the SDR video stream, the SDR subtitle stream superimposedthereupon, and audio stream are registered in Combi( ). Random accessinformation of the SDR video stream and random access information of theenhanced video stream are registered in the TMAP( ). Further, playbackcontrol information of the enhanced video stream is registered in SubPL(). Note however, that this case is only applied in a case where the SDRvideo stream can be converted to high-luminance/high-bit-precision HDRvideo using the enhanced video stream.

Thus, when registering an HDR video stream and an SDR video stream in asingle playlist, the streams that make up a set with the HDR videostream are registered in Combi( ) while the streams making up a set withthe SDR video stream are registered in CombiExt( ). That is to say, aset of streams relating to the HDR video stream and a set of streamsrelating to the SDR video stream are individually managed as entirelyseparate sets.

According to such a configuration, when a decision is made to play oneof the HDR video stream and SDR video stream, the player (playbackdevice) only has to process one of Combi( ) and CombiExt( ). Combi( )and CombiExt( ) have the same data structure and are of the samesemantics, so part of the processing of Combi( ) and the processing ofCombiExt( ) can be shared in common to simplify processing. This isadvantageous in that authoring by the system is easy, and advantageousin that mounting/operation verification processing of the player is easy(developing costs can be reduced).

Supplemental description will be made regarding the meaning of “Combi( )and CombiExt( ) have the same data structure and are of the samesemantics”. Specifically, data blocks called Cell#n are provided in theplaylist file, with one Combi( ) being provided to each Cell#n, asillustrated in FIGS. 41B and 42A.

On the other hand, CombiExt( ) is extended data with regard to Cell#n( )so Combi( ) corresponds to part of CombiExt( ). The above “Combi( ) andCombiExt( ) have the same data structure and are of the same semantics”more specifically means that part of the second playback controlinformation stored in the CombiExt( ) has essentially the same datastructure and semantics as part of the first playback controlinformation stored in Combi( ). In other words, part of the secondplayback control information stored in CombiExt( ) has a common datastructure and semantics with a part of the first playback controlinformation stored in Combi( ). Also, Combi( ) and CombiExt( ) both havein common that each has identification information such as a PID of avideo stream (VideoPID).

As described above, a SDR video stream, and an HDR video stream of whichthe luminance range is broader than the SDR video stream, that areselectively used in accordance with the playback environment, arerecorded in a BD in which the streams are registered in the databasefile as illustrated in FIG. 46. The SDR video stream is, in other words,a standard-luminance range video stream, while the HDR video stream is,in other words, a high-luminance range video stream. The BD is anexample of a recording medium.

Also recorded in the BD are SDR subtitle stream and HDR subtitle streamthat are selectively used in accordance with the playback environment,and a playlist file (XXX.PL in FIG. 46) including content playbackcontrol information. The playlist file includes Combi( ) and CombiExt(). Combi( ) is an example of management region where playback controlinformation relating to a main stream is stored, and CombiExt( ) is anexample of an extended region.

In a case where an HDR video stream and an SDR video stream areregistered in a single playlist, first playback control informationinstructing combining and playing the HDR video stream and the HDRsubtitle stream is stored in the Combi( ). Second playback controlinformation instructing combining and playing the SDR video stream andthe SDR subtitle stream is stored in the CombiExt( ).

In a case of selecting and playing the HDR video stream, a player thatplays BDs having such a configuration can read out the first playbackcontrol information in Combi( ) as has been conventionally done. On theother hand, in a case of selecting and playing the SDR video stream, theplayer can read out the second playback control information in theCombiExt( ).

Also, it is conceivable that with a BD where both DHR and SDR arerecorded, an SDR subtitle stream or SDR graphics might be superimposedon an HDR video stream. That is, it is conceivable that subtitles andgraphics with insufficient luminance might be superimposed on ahigh-luminance image. However, in a case where a HDR video stream andSDR video stream are registered in a single playlist, the HDR videostream registered in the Combi( ) is combined with the HDR subtitlestream in the Combi( ) so there is no occurrence of a situation where anSDR subtitle stream is combined with an HDR video stream. Conversely,the SDR video stream registered in the CombiExt( ) is combined with theSDR subtitle stream in the CombiExt( ) so there is no occurrence of asituation where an HDR subtitle stream is combined with an SDR videostream.

Thus, according to the above-described BD, playback control such asselection of video streams is simplified. Accordingly to the above BD,video stream selection processing and playback processing is facilitatedat a player that plays this BD.

Also, part of the second playback control information has a datastructure that is common with the first playback control information.Accordingly, the player can play a SDR video stream by about the sameprocessing as an HDR video stream.

Also, a VOBI file, indicating attributes relating to the entire BD, isrecorded in the BD, as illustrated in FIG. 46. The VOBI file includesTMAP( ) and TMAPExt( ). TMAP( ) and TMAPExt( ) each store random accessinformation, indicating the position within the video stream, ofpictures independently decodable that are included in the video stream.A VOBI file is an example of a management information file, TMAP( ) isan example of a map region, and TMAPExt( ) is an example of an extendedmap region.

TMAP( ) stores first random access information indicating the positionin an HDR video stream of pictures independently decodable that areincluded in the HDR video stream. TMAPExt( ) stores second random accessinformation indicating the position in an SDR video stream of picturesindependently decodable that are included in the SDR video stream. Thefirst random access information is an example of first map informationand the second random access information is an example of second mapinformation.

When selecting an HDR video stream and performing random access playbackor the like, a player that plays BDs of such a configuration can readout the first random access information within the TMAP( ) and selectingan SDR video stream and performing random access playback or the like,can read out the second random access information within the TMAPExt( ).That is to say, according to such a BD, video stream selectionprocessing and playback processing by a player that plays the BD can befacilitated when performing random access playback or the like as well.

Also, the above BD further has recorded therein a sub-playlist file(SubPL( ) in FIG. 46), in which is recorded playback control informationrelating to sub-streams played at the same time as the main stream file.Third playback control information relating to enhanced video streamsfor enhancing the luminance range of HDR video streams is stored in thesub-playlist file. First random access information, and third randomaccess information indicating the position within the enhanced stream ofpictures independently decodable that are included in the enhanced videostream, are stored in TMAP( ). The third random access information is anexample of third map information.

A player that plays BDs of such a configuration can play the HDR videostream and enhanced video stream at the same time, by reading out thefirst playback control information within the Combi( ) and the thirdplayback control information within the SubPL( ). Accordingly, such a BDfacilitates HDR video stream enhancing processing of a player that playsthe BD.

Also, when performing random access playback or the like, the player canfurther read out information within the TMAP( ). That is to say, such aBD facilitates playback processing of a player playing the BD, in a caseof enhancing an HDR video stream and performing random access playbackand so forth.

Next, playback processing by the player will be described. FIG. 47 is aflowchart of playback processing by the player in a case where there isthe three playback control information of first playback controlinformation including an HDR video stream, second playback controlinformation including an SDR video stream, and third playback controlinformation including an enhanced video stream, in a single playlist. Asillustrated in FIG. 47, the player performs determination of contentplayback form after having started executing of a playlist file, basedon the content recorded in the BD, whether or not the player iscompatible with decoding of an HDR video stream, whether or not atelevision connected to the player is compatible with decoding of an HDRvideo stream (S801).

In a case where the player is to perform HDR playback of the content asthe result of the determination, the stream set registered in Combi( )is read out and played (S802). In other words, in a case of playingcontent as HDR content, the video playback unit that the player(playback device) has reads out and plays the HDR video stream and HDRsubtitle stream, based on the first playback control information storedin Combi( ).

Note that, in a case of performing random access playback or the like ofcontent as HDR content, the video playback unit reads out and plays theHDR video stream and HDR subtitle stream, based on the first playbackcontrol information and the first random access information.

In a case where the player is to perform enhanced HDR playback of thecontent as the result of the determination, the stream set registered inCombi( ) and SubPL( ) is read out and played (S803). In other words, ina case of playing content as HDR content with an enhanced luminancerange, the video playback unit that the player has reads out and playsthe HDR video stream and HDR subtitle stream, based on the firstplayback control information, and also reads out and plays the enhancedvideo stream based on the third playback control information.

Note that, in a case of performing random access playback or the like ofcontent as HDR content with an enhanced luminance range, the videoplayback unit reads out and plays the HDR video stream and HDR subtitlestream, based on the first playback control information and the firstrandom access information, and also reads out and plays the enhancedvideo stream based on the third playback control information and thirdrandom access information.

In a case where the player is to perform SDR playback as the result ofthe determination, the stream set registered in CombiExt( ) is read outand played (S804). In other words, in a case of playing content as SDRcontent, the video playback unit that the player has reads out and playsthe SDR video stream and SDR subtitle stream, based on the secondplayback control information.

Note that, in a case of performing random access playback or the like ofcontent as SDR content, the video playback unit reads out and plays theSDR video stream and SDR subtitle stream, based on the second playbackcontrol information and the second random access information. Thus,according to the above BD, video stream selection processing andplayback processing of the player playing the BD can be facilitated.

It should be noted that the above description is only an example, andthat one skilled in the art would be able to make various applications.

In the above embodiments, the components may be realized by a dedicatedhardware configuration, or by executing a software program suitable forthe components. The components may be realized by a program executingunit such as a CPU or processor reading out and executing a softwareprogram recorded in a recording medium such as a hard disk orsemiconductor memory or the like.

Although the recording medium, playback method, and playback deviceaccording to one or multiple forms has been described by way ofembodiments, the present disclosure is not restricted to theseembodiments. Embodiments of various modifications conceivable by oneskilled in the art, and forms configured by combining components indifferent embodiments, may be included in the scope of the presentdisclosure without departing from the essence of the present disclosure.

For example, the present disclosure may be realized as a recordingmedium manufacturing method (data recording method) or a recordingmedium manufacturing device (data recording device) as described above.

The present disclosure is applicable to an optical disc in which arerecorded both a standard-luminance range video stream and ahigh-luminance range video stream, of which playback control of videostreams is easy. The present disclosure is also applicable as a playbackdevice that reads out and plays video streams from such an optical disc.

What is claimed is:
 1. A playback device that reads out and plays acontent from a recording medium in which are recorded a video stream ofstandard-luminance range, and a video stream of high-luminance rangethat is a broader luminance range than the standard-luminance range, asubtitle stream of the standard-luminance range, and a subtitle streamof the high-luminance range, and a playlist file storing playbackcontrol information of the content, and including a management regionand an extended region, the management region storing first playbackcontrol information specifying that the video stream of thehigh-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the high-luminance rangeare to be played in combination, the extended region storing secondplayback control information specifying that the video stream of thestandard-luminance range and the subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range are to be played in combination, the playlistfile further including a sub-playlist region storing the playbackcontrol information relating to a sub-stream played at the same timewith the video stream of the high-luminance range, and third playbackcontrol information relating to an enhanced video stream for extendingthe luminance range of the video stream of the high-luminance rangebeing stored in the sub-playlist region, the playback device comprising:a video player that reads out and plays the video stream of thehigh-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, based on the first playback control information, and also readsout and plays the enhanced video stream based on the third playbackcontrol information, in a case of playing the content as a content of aluminance range that has been extended beyond the high-luminance range.2. A playback device that reads out and plays a content from a recordingmedium in which is recorded a video stream of standard-luminance range,and a video stream of high-luminance range that is a broader luminancerange than the standard-luminance range, a subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range, and a subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, and a playlist file storing playback control information of thecontent, and including a management region and an extended region, themanagement region storing first playback control information specifyingthat the video stream of the high-luminance range and the subtitlestream of the high-luminance range are to be played in combination, theextended region storing second playback control information specifyingthat the video stream of the standard-luminance range and the subtitlestream of the standard-luminance range are to be played in combination,the recording medium further having recorded therein a managementinformation file including a map region and an extended map regionstoring map information indicating a position of an independentlydecodable picture included in a video stream, the map region storingfirst map information indicating a position, in the video stream of thehigh-luminance range, of an independently decodable picture included inthe video stream of the high-luminance range, the extended map regionstoring second map information indicating a position, in the videostream of the standard-luminance range, of an independently decodablepicture included in the video stream of the standard-luminance range,the playlist file further including a sub-playlist region storing theplayback control information relating to the sub-stream played at thesame time with the video stream of the high-luminance range, thirdplayback control information relating to an enhanced video stream forextending the luminance range of the video stream of the high-luminancerange being stored in the sub-playlist region, and the map regionstoring the first map information, and third map information indicatinga position, in the enhanced video stream, of an independently decodablepicture included in the enhanced video stream, the playback devicecomprising: a video player that reads out and plays the video stream ofthe high-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, based on the first playback control information and the first mapinformation, and also reads out and plays the enhanced video streambased on the third playback control information and the third mapinformation, in a case of playing the content as a content of aluminance range that has been extended beyond the high-luminance range.3. A playback method of reading out and playing content from a recordingmedium in which are recorded a video stream of standard-luminance range,and a video stream of high-luminance range that is a broader luminancerange than the standard-luminance range, a subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range, and a subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, and a playlist file storing playback control information of thecontent, and including a management region and an extended region, themanagement region storing first playback control information specifyingthat the video stream of the high-luminance range and the subtitlestream of the high-luminance range are to be played in combination, theextended region storing second playback control information specifyingthat the video stream of the standard-luminance range and the subtitlestream of the standard-luminance range are to be played in combination,the playlist file further including a sub-playlist region storing theplayback control information relating to a sub-stream played at the sametime with the video stream of the high-luminance range, and thirdplayback control information relating to an enhanced video stream forextending the luminance range of the video stream of the high-luminancerange being stored in the sub-playlist region, the playback methodcomprising: reading out and playing the video stream of thehigh-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the high-luminancerange, based on the first playback control information, and also readingout and playing the enhanced video stream based on the third playbackcontrol information, in a case of playing the content as a content of aluminance range that has been extended beyond the high-luminance range.4. A playback method of reading out and playing a content from arecording medium in which are recorded a video stream ofstandard-luminance range, and a video stream of high-luminance rangethat is a broader luminance range than the standard-luminance range, asubtitle stream of the standard-luminance range, and a subtitle streamof the high-luminance range, and a playlist file storing playbackcontrol information of the content, and including a management regionand an extended region, the management region storing first playbackcontrol information specifying that the video stream of thehigh-luminance range and the subtitle stream of the high-luminance rangeare to be played in combination, the extended region storing secondplayback control information specifying that the video stream of thestandard-luminance range and the subtitle stream of thestandard-luminance range are to be played in combination, the recordingmedium further having recorded therein a management information fileincluding a map region and an extended map region storing mapinformation indicating a position of an independently decodable pictureincluded in a video stream, the map region storing first map informationindicating a position, in the video stream of the high-luminance range,of an independently decodable picture included in the video stream ofthe high-luminance range, the extended map region storing second mapinformation indicating a position, in the video stream of thestandard-luminance range, of an independently decodable picture includedin the video stream of the standard-luminance range, the playlist filefurther including a sub-playlist region storing the playback controlinformation relating to the sub-stream played at the same time with thevideo stream of the high-luminance range, third playback controlinformation relating to an enhanced video stream for extending theluminance range of the video stream of the high-luminance range beingstored in the sub-playlist region, and the map region storing the firstmap information, and third map information indicating a position, in theenhanced video stream, of an independently decodable picture included inthe enhanced video stream, the playback method comprising: reading outand playing the video stream of the high-luminance range and thesubtitle stream of the high-luminance range, based on the first playbackcontrol information and the first map information, and also reading outand playing the enhanced video stream based on the third playbackcontrol information and the third map information, in a case of playingthe content as a content of a luminance range that has been extendedbeyond the high-luminance range.